The term Huguenots is used nowhere in contemporary Cape sources
for the French immigrants who settled in South Africa toward the
end of the 18th century; in all official documents they are
referred to as the French Refugees. Before the Edict of Nantes
was repealed by Louis XIV on 17 October 1685 many Protestants
had already left France. It is estimated that between 75 000 and
100 000 entered the Netherlands either to settle there or in
transit to other Protestant countries. Even at the beginning of
the 17th century some had chosen to live among people of their
own religion and to leave predominantly Roman Catholic France.
After the visits of Rijckloff van Goens and Hendrik Adriaan van
Reede to the Cape, it was decided to encourage the development
of agriculture. On 3 October 1685 the Directors of the Dutch
East India Company resolved to send free burghers to the Cape.
Before this time only Company officials had been sent out, who
became free burghers if they decided to remain. It was also
decided that among t