Each map is illustrated with the coats of arms of the most prominent families and historical detail styled on the maps of period. Extensive research was conducted to make the maps as historically accurate as possible
The 480 x 580mm maps are beautifully printed on heavy art paper. You can place your order below.
If you are a descendent of one of these illustrious Huguenot families you can gain a unique and valuable record of your family’s heritage.
You can do this by ordering a pair of beautifully illustrated maps, one of France showing the places of origin, names and dates when the Huguenots left for the Cape, and one of the Cape of Good Hope showing the names as they changed over time, and the towns and farms where they settled.
When the Huguenots fled from religious persecution in France and landed in Table Bay in 1687, they changed the face of South Africa forever. With vigour and tenacity they established businesses and farms across the new Dutch East India Company colony at the Cape of Good Hope, and these dynamic dynasties went on to play a vital role in developing our great country.
The full title translated from the French, reads “General Map of the Kingdom of France, Showing Important Places during the Religious Wars of the XVI and XVII centuries, as well as the Names of Certain Huguenots who Fled from France and who Established themselves at the Cape of Good Hope. ”
This legend is framed in a cartouche depicting the Muses of History and Poetry paying tribute to the symbols of the Reformation, viz., the Huguenot cross, the seals of Calvin and Luther and the armorial shields of Henry of Navarre and Gaspard de Coligny.
At lower left is a representation of the statue by Coert Steynberg at the Huguenot monument at Franschhoek, flanked by the figures of Jean Calvin, Martin Luther, Henry IV, Jeanne d’Albret and Coligny.
0n the map itself are views of the Port of la Rochelle and of the church of St. Thomas and the Cathedral at Strasbourg. 0n the right, between the armorial shields is a list of the names of 72 of the founders of well known Cape families, the year in which each arrived, his place of origin in France and the present form of the surname.
The title translated from the Dutch, reads “New Map of the Cape of Good Hope showing Certain Farms in possession of the Huguenots in the Table Valley, Fransche Hoek, Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Pearl, Wagenmakers Valley, Daljosaphat and the Land of Waveren.” This legend is framed in a cartouche surmounted by a shield bearing the Huguenot emblem flanked by two herald angels with, below, an allegorical figure with anchor and cornucopia signifying Hope and Abundance. The cartouche is further embellished with wild animals, vines and grapes. At lower left is a view of Table Bay as seen from the anchorage – a common feature of old maps – and on the right a group of refugees, officials and aboriginals set against the background of the Simonsberg and an old Cape manor house, at present the Huguenot museum in Paarl.
At the top centre and on the right are the armorial shields of a number of well known Cape Huguenot families with lists of names. Next to each name on the right are one or more numbers and dates; these numbers correspond to the numbers of the farms on the map and the dates indicate the year in which the farms were allocated. 0n the left are the names of other Huguenots with an indication of their calling or profession as well as a list of land grants in places outside the borders of the map. On the map there are also a number of “unnumbered” farms which are, or were at some period, in possession of Huguenots or their descendants. On the sea are representations of ships with the names of the 14 vessels known to have carried refugees to the Cape.