Joachim van Plettenberg

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Joachim van Plettenberg, oil painting by an unknown master, between 1750 and 1774
Governor's residence built by Plettenberg in Simon's Town

Baron Joachim Ammena van Plettenberg (born March 8, 1739 in Leeuwarden , Netherlands ; † August 18, 1793 at Haus Windesheim in Zwolle , Netherlands) was governor of the Cape Colony from August 11, 1771 to February 14, 1785.

Life

Plettenberg came from the Westphalian noble family von Plettenberg . His parents were Henrik Casimir van Plettenberg , Colonel in the Orange Garrison in Leeuwarden, and Agatha Petronella van Ammena . After studying law at the University of Utrecht , he left the country in 1764 and became a member of the Judicial Council in Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) for two years . In 1767, at the age of 28, he married Cornelia Charlotte Feith and was appointed chief judicial officer ( Independent-Fiscaal ) of Cape Town . He had at least one brother, Hans Willem van Plettenberg (born December 1, 1732 in Leeuwarden; † June 6, 1800 ibid).

Governor of the Cape Colony

Replica of the Van Plettenberg Beacon in Plettenberg Bay

After the death of governor Ryk Tulbagh (or Tulbach), van Plettenberg took over his official duties on August 11, 1771 and was confirmed in the office of governor on May 18, 1774. In 1777 he had the residence built in Simon's Town , which still exists today and houses the Simon's Town Museum .

Plettenberg was very interested in exploring previously unknown areas and supported the exploration of South Africa. During his time the research trips of Joseph Karl Kindermann (1744–1801), Carl Peter Thunberg , Anders Sparrman , Francis Masson , William Paterson (1755–1810), Jan Splinter Stavornius (1739–1788), Robert Jacob Gordon (1743–1795 ) fall ) and François Levaillant (1753–1824). He himself made several tours to determine the boundaries of the Cape Colony and visited 47 outposts. Among other things, on November 6, 1778, he had a navigation mark set up for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the so-called Van Plettenberg Beacon . Since then the place is called Plettenberg Bay . Today it is a popular travel destination on the Garden Route .

He also observed the great sea expeditions of his time with great interest. The seafarers landed at the Cape to replenish their supplies and on this occasion paid their respects. He offered to assist them and learned firsthand about new research and discoveries. He used this knowledge in discussions with the captains, who valued him as a competent conversationalist, and thus promoted the unveiling of the globe in his own way. James Cook and Georg Forster mention him in their travel reports.

In the strongly influenced by France Patriotiebewegung ( Patriotte beweging ) grew him a strong opponent. Citizens' petitions from 1779 and 1782 to the Council of Seventeen and from 1784 to the States General in the motherland indicate the difficulties and problems the colonists had with the administration of their governor. In assessing his personality, the propaganda of the patriotic movement of the late 18th century is still effective, heavily influenced by opponents who describe him as a selfish man with an exaggerated tendency towards self-expression. From the available sources, this cannot be proven to this extent, or in some cases even refuted. Sources of its administrative activities between 1778 and 1783 were published in the 20th century.

Return to the Netherlands

House Windesheim near Zwolle, Plettenberg's retirement home

In 1781, upon request, he sent a detailed defense to Holland to counter the charges. On February 14, 1785, he submitted his resignation and was honorably dismissed. He then returned to the Netherlands at Huis Windesheim near Zwolle, where he died on August 18, 1793. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelis Jacob van de Graeff as Cape Governor .

Written estate

The written estate is in the Dutch National Archives.

See also

literature

  • Andreas Weyl: Joachim van Plettenberg, Governor of the Dutch Cape Colony. In: To Bigge, Lenne and Fretter , Part 1: Issue 35, December 2011. pp. 25–40. Part 2: Issue 36, June 2012. pp. 48–61.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://databases.tanap.net/cgh/make_pdf.cfm?artikelid=24735
  2. ↑ http://databases.tanap.net/cgh/make_pdf.cfm?artikelid=24478
  3. ↑ Kaapse Archiefstukken lopende over het jaar 1778 (- 1783). Afgeschreven en van een register voorzien door Kathleen M. Jeffreys, MA, van het Kaapse Archief met een voorwoord door EA Walker. Cape Town: Cape Times, 1926. (- Pretoria: De Staatsdrukker, 1938) 7 volumes.
  4. ↑ [1] (PDF; 17 kB)
personal data
SURNAME Plettenberg, Joachim van
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Plettenberg, Joachim Ammena van
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch governor of the Cape Colony
DATE OF BIRTH March 8, 1739
PLACE OF BIRTH Leeuwarden
DATE OF DEATH August 18, 1793
Place of death Zwolle