Editing Boers (section)

=== French Huguenots ===
During 1688–1689, the colony was greatly strengthened by the arrival of nearly two hundred French [[Huguenots]], who were political refugees from the religious wars in France following the revocation of the [[Edict of Nantes]]. They joined colonies at [[Stellenbosch]], [[Drakenstein]], [[Franschhoek]] and [[Paarl]].<ref>H. C. Viljoen, [https://web.archive.org/web/20091025222633/http://geocities.com/sa_stamouers/huguenots.htm "The Contribution of the Huguenots in South Africa"], 25 October 2009</ref> The influence of the Huguenots on the character of the colonists was marked, leading to the VOC directing in 1701 that only [[Dutch language|Dutch]] should be taught in schools. This resulted in the Huguenots assimilating by the middle of the 18th century, with a loss in the use and knowledge of [[French language|French]]. The colony gradually spread eastwards, and in 1754 land as far as [[Algoa Bay]] was included in the colony.

At this time the European colonists numbered eight to ten thousand. They possessed numerous slaves, grew wheat in sufficient quantity to make it a commodity crop for export, and were famed for the good quality of their [[South African wine|wines]]. But their chief wealth was in cattle. They enjoyed considerable prosperity.

Through the latter half of the 17th and the whole of the 18th century, troubles arose between the colonists and the government as the VOC administration was [[despotism|despotic]]. Its policies were not directed at development of the colony, but to profit the VOC. The VOC closed the colony against free immigration, kept the whole of the trade in its own hands, combined the administrative, legislative and judicial powers in one body, prescribed to the farmers the nature of the crops they were to grow, demanded a large part of their produce as a kind of tax, and made other exactions.