A Dutch Request: Why Did the British First Govern the Cape?

In 1795, the Prince of Orange requested that England protect the Cape outpost from the French. This request stemmed from the French Revolutionary Wars and the French occupation of Holland. Eight years later, after peace was restored in Europe, Britain returned the Cape trading station to the Batavian Republic (the government of Holland) under the Treaty of Amiens (1802).

At the time of the first British administration in the Cape, the colony was marked by widespread dissatisfaction. Many residents were unhappy with the Dutch East India Company (VOC), believing it was unable to protect them from hostile tribes on the eastern frontier. The government's weakness stemmed from internal corruption, ongoing wars, and the VOC’s loss of control over the Indian trade route to the British. By 1795, the Cape was in turmoil, and many, including the Free Burghers and Cape Patriots, sought self-governance.