History and Ethnography of Africa South of the Zambesi, from the Settlement of the Portuguese at Sofala in September 1505 to the Conquest of the Cape Colony by the British in September 1795

A detailed history of South Africa as a Portuguese and Dutch colony, from 1505–1795, first published in 1907.

George McCall Theal (Author)

9781108023320, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 December 2010

542 pages, 4 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.5 cm, 0.95 kg

George McCall Theal (1837–1919) was a prolific South African historian and civil servant. After working as a missionary between 1875–1880 he was appointed magistrate of Tamacha before taking a position as a clerk in the government and became Keeper of the Cape Colony Archives. He was appointed Colonial Historiographer in 1891. These volumes, first published in 1907, contain Theal's detailed history of South Africa between 1505–1795. Theal discusses the formation of the colony from the first Portuguese conquests, exploring the Dutch colonial establishment and administration. Theal also describes the societies of the various indigenous peoples of South Africa and their relations with the colonists. This volume provides valuable details on the administration of the Dutch colony, and reveals contemporary attitudes to the ideas of history and colonisation. These volumes are reissued from the expanded 1910 edition.

Preface
1. The Bushmen
2. The Hottentots
3. The Bantu
4. Description of the Bantu continued
5. Description of the Bantu continued
6. Specimens of Bantu folklore
7. Description of the Bantu continued
8. Arab and Persian settlements in south-eastern Africa
9. Discovery of an ocean route to India
10. Succeeding voyages and conquests
11. Occupation of Sofala and Mozambique
12. Intercourse of the Portuguese with the Bantu
13. Disastrous expeditions under Barreto and Homem
14. Events to the close of the sixteenth century
15. Knowledge derived from shipwrecks
16. Appearance of rivals in the eastern area
17. Proceedings of the Dutch and English
18. Fruitless search for silver mines
19. Events of interest from 1628 to 1652
20. Weakness of Portuguese rule in South Africa.

Subject Areas: African history [HBJH]