Adam Tas
Encyclopedia
Adam Tas was a community leader in the Cape Colony
at the turn of the 17th century, and is best known for his role in the conflict between Cape Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel
(son of the former Governor Simon van der Stel
) and the "free burghers" at the Cape of Good Hope
.
Tas became secretary of the “Brotherhood”, which viewed the Dutch East India Company
(VOC) administration at the Cape as corrupt and dictatorial. Tas and Hüsing drafted a petition, accusing local VOC officials of abusing the company's trading monopoly, and managed to convince 63 of the 550 Cape free burghers to sign it. Without informing the local officials, the signed petition was sent directly to the VOC headquarters in Amsterdam
.
The petition was rejected and Van der Stel became aware of its existence. Tas was arrested on February 28, 1706, escorted in chains to Cape Town
, and convicted. Van der Stel had parts of Tas’s diary copied (Jun 13, 1705 through Feb 27, 1706) as evidence. (Large fragments of this copy was rediscovered in 1911 by A.C.C. Lloyd, a librarian at the South African Public Library.) After he was convicted, Tas was thrown in the “Black Hole” - a damp dungeon completely devoid of any light located in the Castle of Good Hope
.
However, since 31 of the signatories were Huguenots, and because the Netherlands was at war with France, the rejected petition generated belated concern in Amsterdam. The fear was that the discontent might convince some to become spies for the French. The VOC dismissed van der Stel, and ordered his return to the Netherlands (April 23, 1707). VOC officials were subsequently forbidden to own any land at the Cape of Good Hope.
Thirteen months into his incarceration Tas was released. Upon gaining his freedom, Tas named his home "Libertas
" (Latin: freedom) in honor of the occasion, and allocated a new meaning (“Tas is Free!”) to the name.
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
at the turn of the 17th century, and is best known for his role in the conflict between Cape Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel
Willem Adriaan van der Stel
Willem Adriaan van der Stel was appointed as extraordinary Council of the Dutch Indies, and Governor of the Cape Colony, a way station for the Dutch East India Company , from January 23, 1699 to 1707...
(son of the former Governor Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel was the last Commander and first Governor of the Cape Colony, the Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.-Background:...
) and the "free burghers" at the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
.
Overview
Adam Tas was born in Holland. One of his aunts and her German husband, Henning Hüsing, came to the Cape in search of fortune. When he was 29 (1697), Tas joined them and stayed at Meerlust, their Stellenbosch home. Two years later he was appointed Standard Bearer to the Burgher Infantry. In June, 1703 he married Elizabeth Von Brakel, the wealthy widow of Joris (Hans Jürgen) Grimpen, who owned a collection of farms in the district.Tas became secretary of the “Brotherhood”, which viewed the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
(VOC) administration at the Cape as corrupt and dictatorial. Tas and Hüsing drafted a petition, accusing local VOC officials of abusing the company's trading monopoly, and managed to convince 63 of the 550 Cape free burghers to sign it. Without informing the local officials, the signed petition was sent directly to the VOC headquarters in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
The petition was rejected and Van der Stel became aware of its existence. Tas was arrested on February 28, 1706, escorted in chains to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, and convicted. Van der Stel had parts of Tas’s diary copied (Jun 13, 1705 through Feb 27, 1706) as evidence. (Large fragments of this copy was rediscovered in 1911 by A.C.C. Lloyd, a librarian at the South African Public Library.) After he was convicted, Tas was thrown in the “Black Hole” - a damp dungeon completely devoid of any light located in the Castle of Good Hope
Castle of Good Hope
The Castle of Good Hope is a star fort which was built on the original coastline of Table Bay and now, because of land reclamation, lies nearer to the Cape Town city centre in South Africa.-History:...
.
However, since 31 of the signatories were Huguenots, and because the Netherlands was at war with France, the rejected petition generated belated concern in Amsterdam. The fear was that the discontent might convince some to become spies for the French. The VOC dismissed van der Stel, and ordered his return to the Netherlands (April 23, 1707). VOC officials were subsequently forbidden to own any land at the Cape of Good Hope.
Thirteen months into his incarceration Tas was released. Upon gaining his freedom, Tas named his home "Libertas
Libertas
Libertas was the Roman goddess and embodiment of liberty.- Temples and derived inspirations :In 238 BC, before the Second Punic War, having long been a Roman deity along with other personified virtues, Libertas assumed goddess status...
" (Latin: freedom) in honor of the occasion, and allocated a new meaning (“Tas is Free!”) to the name.
See also
- Cape of Good HopeCape of Good HopeThe Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
- Cape ColonyCape ColonyThe Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
- History of Cape ColonyHistory of Cape ColonyThe written history of Cape Colony South Africa began when Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. In 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed along the whole coast of South Africa on his way to India. The Portuguese, attracted by the riches of Asia, made no...
- 1700s in South Africa1700s in South Africa-1700:* An ordinance is proclaimed by the Cape Colony's administration, restricting the importation of Asian slaves* Dlamini chiefdoms move south and settle north of the Phongolo River; thereby forming the core of the future Swazi nation...
External links
- Diary of Adam Tas
- Castle of Good Hope
- History of South African Wine
- Vergelegen (William Adriaan van der Stel's Farm) celebrates 300 years
- The House of van der Stel (A contrarian perspective of W.A. van der Stel’s legacy)