The Huguenot History

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Origin

WHO WERE THE HUGUENOTS?

The Huguenots were devout Protestants from France and Southern Netherlands, who followed the teaching of the theologian, John Calvin.

Many of them fled their country to escape persecution during the 17th century so they could be free to practise their religion.

They made new homes in England and Ireland, Reformed Europe and the Atlantic world. Many of them took refuge in the Dutch Republic where a small number were recruited by the Dutch East India Company to strengthen the maritime replenishment station at the Cape of Good Hope.

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HISTORY

SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE

The story of the Huguenots who came to the Cape begins with a long history of religious warfare and persecution in France.

Following the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 the Dutch East India Company decided to encourage Huguenot refugees to immigrate to the Cape to establish a stronger agricultural base there. Preference was given to settlers who were wine growers or had expert skills. Farmers would be provided with as much land as they could cultivate. Their perilous journeys over mountains and sea to establish new lives and homes at the Cape resonate with similar experiences of refugees around the world.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HUGUENOTS

The Massacre of Wassy in 1562 ushered in two centuries of Huguenot persecution in France.

Persecution In France

After Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, action taken against Protestants to coerce them into renouncing their faith intensified. This included imprisonment, having soldiers billeted in their homes (Draggonades) and having their children placed in Catholic care.

Timeline

A walking timeline takes visitors along the central spine of the museum. It starts at the Dutch wall clock made by a Huguenot descendant. Visitors can trace the key events in the French wars of religion and in the hardships Huguenots faced as Calvinist Protestants in France. Their history of their persecution is shown against the backdrop of other local and global persecutions over the course of time. A special feature is the two lamps used when worshipping secretly at night.

31 October 1517

The Augustinian friar, Martin Luther attaches his 95 theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Saxony, criticising the abuse of indulgences by the Catholic Church.

Autumn 1533

The French theologian, John Calvin, experiences a religious conversion, which he describes as a sudden change of mind, brought about by God.

1533

John Calvin flees Paris after he supported the rector of the College Royal with his speech

1534

The Affaire de Placards marks widespread protest against the Roman Catholic Mass. Calvin’s life is threatened and he seeks safety in Geneva.

29 January 1536

Followers of this new Reformed religion are called Huguenots. They are accused of heresy against the Catholic king, God’s representative on earth. A general Edict urging their extermination is soon issued.

1536

John Calvin publishes his Institutio Christianae Religionis in defense of his Christian faith as well as offering a statement on the Reformed doctrine.

1545

Massacre of Mérindol. François I orders the destruction of the town. Mérindol is sacked and 3 000 Vaudois are murdered. Lux Lucet in Tenebris (The Light shines in Darkness) is the official Vaudois symbol.

1555

The first Huguenot congregation is established in a Parisian house where the credo of John Calvin is taught.

25 May 1559

The first synod meeting of the French Reformed Church is held in Paris.

28 January 1561

Gaspard de Coligny, Lord of Chatillon and Admiral of France. Catherine de Medici has sweeping powers as regent to her 10 year old son, Charles IX. The Edict of Orléans is proclaimed to stop the persecution of the Huguenots.

17 January 1562

Catherine de Medici, regent of France. The Edict of Saint-Germain-en-Laye is promulgated, which grants the Huguenots limited religious freedom.

1 March 1562

In the town of Wassy, many Huguenots are attacked and murdered by the troops of Francis, the Duke of Guise, which starts the first War of Religion.

19 March 1563

The peace of Amboise ends the First War of Religion.

September 1567

Start of the Second War of Religion, which ends on 23 March 1568 with the Edict of Pacification of Longjumeau.

August 1568

Start of the Third War of Religion. Huguenot armies led by Gaspard de Coligny are defeated at the battles of Jarnac and Moncontour. The Huguenot leader, Condé, is executed. The Ordinance of Saint-Maur prohibits freedom of Reformed worship.

8 August 1570

The Edict of St Germain-en-Laye guarantees the Huguenots freedom of worship in two towns per province. De Coligny negotiates Huguenot control of four fortified towns: La Rochelle, Cognac, Montauban and La Charité.

24 – 28 August 1572

The St Bartholomew’s Massacre, is masterminded by Catherine de Medici and her advisers. An estimated 7 000 Huguenots are murdered in Paris and other French cities.

6 July 1573

First Siege of La Rochelle. The Edict of Boulogne guarantees the Huguenots four towns of safety: La Rochelle, Montauban, Nîmes and Sancerre. This signals the end of the fourth War of Religion.

1574 – 1576

Death of Charles IX who is succeeded by Henri de Valois as Henry III. Start of the Fifth War of Religion, which ends with the peace of Monsieur. The Edict of Beaulieu restores many Huguenot privileges.

November 1579

Start of the Seventh War of Religion. The Treaty of Nerac allows the Huguenots five towns of safety for six months. Peace is concluded in November 1580 by the Treaty of Fleix.

17 January 1585

Philippe II of Spain and the Guise families sign the Treaty of Joinville, by which Philippe undertakes to finance the Catholic League. Start of the Eighth War of Religion (War of the Three Henrys).

1593 - 1594

Henry of Navarre abjures the Reformed faith on 25 July 1593 to ascend the throne as Henry IV. He strives for religious tolerance between Catholics and Huguenots and introduces widespread social and economic reforms.

30 April 1598

The Eighth War of religion ends with the Treaty of Angers on 20 March and the proclamation of the Edict of Nantes on 30 April. The Edict is finally ratified in Paris on 25 February 1599.

1599

After 36 years of religious warfare, the ratification of the Edict of Nantes in 1599 establishes peace between the Protestants and the Catholics. The Edict grants all French people freedom of conscience but Protestant worship is limited to certain areas.

1621-1624

Royal armies conquer the Huguenot strongholds of Saint-Jean-d’Angély, Montauban and Montpellier. In 1624, the Huguenots’ most implacable enemy, Cardinal Richelieu, becomes prime minister.

1626-1628

The war against La Rochelle is masterminded by Richelieu. An English army is defeated on the Île de Ré and the city besieged. La Rochelle capitulates on 28 October 1628.

28 June 1629

The Merciful Edict of Alès gives the Huguenots a certain right of existence but their political power is permanently removed.

6 April 1652

Maria de la Quellerie arrives at the Cape of Good Hope as the first Huguenot descendant. See here for a detailed register of Huguenots and their families who came to the Cape, their dates and vessels of arrival and where they settled. View Register

1671

The 21 year old François Bastien from Armentières in French Flanders is the first Huguenot refugee to arrive at the Cape of Good Hope.

22 October 1685

Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes and declares the Protestant faith illegal with the promulgation of the Edict of Fontainebleau.

26 June 1686

The Dutoit brothers, François (21 years) and Guillaume (30 years) from Lille in French Flanders arrive in Table Bay onboard the VOC ship, Vrijheid.

31 December 1687

The Voorschoten, a flute ship built for the Delft chamber departs from Goeree with 21 Huguenots aboard. When a fierce headwind forces it to drop anchor in Saldana Bay on 13 April, a VOC coaster, the Jupiter, is sent to take them to Table Bay.

1689 – 1694

An estimated 320 Huguenots settle at the Cape. They receive land grants from Governor Simon van der Stel in the valleys of the Berg River and its tributaries in Drakenstein, Wagenmakersvallei and Oliphantshoek. The first farms are established.

The Refuge

Protestants in France had three choices: convert to Catholicism, worship in secret, or flee the country. The word ‘refugee’ comes from the French word réfugié which dates back to 1685, used then to refer to the 160 000 or more who fled France for nearby non-Catholics states or countries.

Places Of Origin

They came from two main regions in France and the Southern Netherlands, one region stretched from Flanders to the Loire Valley, the other region consisted of the arch stretching from the Dauphiné to Languedoc, which includes Provence. A big factor was the difficulty or ease of the escape routes.

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VOC recruitment

The first attempt at recruitment to strengthen the Cape as a replenishment station for the passing ships was largely unsuccessful. However, as a result of the intensified persecution against Protestants, the second drive had a good response. The offer of 60 morgen allotments had especial appeal for the refugees. All applicants had to meet stringent requirements and had to agree to staying for five years.

Flight To The Cape

The flight of the Huguenots to South Africa did not, as is generally believed, occur only during the years 1688 to 1689. Over a period of more than three-quarters of a century they relocated to and settled at the Cape of Good Hope.

Voyage to the Cape

The twelve week voyage was arduous and dangerous. The ships were far from comfortable and the seas were often rough. Most of the time, there was no fresh food and water was in short supply. Malnutrition led to diseases like scurvy. Many died or were seriously weakened during the sea voyage.

Arrival At The Cape

The Honselaarsdijk the first of the nine VOC ships bringing Huguenots to the Cape set anchor in Table Bay on 11 April 1688. The refugees on these and the other eight ships were severely debilitated by the voyage. They gathered in Table Valley. Before moving into the interior they were given emergency supplies.

Settlement At The Cape

The majority of Huguenots were allotted land along the Berg and Franschhoek rivers. The others were allotted farming land in the Dwars River Valley, and the present-day Wellington (Wagenmakersvallei) and Stellenbosch. They were also given some food supplies, seed and basic equipment. The VOC policy to assimilate them led to the loss of their language.

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Struggle For Survival

The climate and terrain were unfamiliar and much of it was unsuitable for grazing or food crops. Few of them had farming skills and they had only rudimentary equipment. They also lacked the capital to buy the seeds and basics they needed. Other problems were drought, transporting their produce to market, stock raids and unfair competition from the company officials.

EXPLORE

A LIST OF THE HUGUENOTS WHO CAME TO THE CAPE

Find here a detailed Register of all the Huguenots who came to the Cape

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HUGUENOT SYMBOLISM

The legacy of the Huguenots was kept alive through artefacts and tangible symbols.
One of these was the Huguenot Cross, which appeared for the first time as a piece of jewellery worn by Protestants in the south of France.

Méreau

Jean Calvin advocated the use of méreaux (stamped metal discs) , as a proof of identity and recognition for members of the new Reformed confession. Méreaux were used as tokens permitting worshippers to partake of Holy Communion. In times of persecution, méreaux became known as the medals of the church of the Désert.

Huguenot Cross

The Huguenot Cross is a symbol of recognition among Reformed Christians. Its four arms represent the four Gospels and the points at the end of the eight Beatitudes. The fleur-de-lis lily is a symbol of the resurrection of God, the twelve petals symbolise the Twelve Apostles and the three petals stand for the Holy Trinity. The four hearts symbolising loyalty and the love of Jesus. The descending dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Huguenot Rose

As its name implies, the Huguenot rose (Rosa damascene semperflorens) flowers through the season. The Huguenots brought the Autumn Damask rose variety with them and used it to make fragrant rose-water for export to the East. It symbolises their entrepreneurship.

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