How did the Orange Freestate get it's name?

Question

I think it's a very interesting name. Does anyone know how it came about being called The Orange Freestate?

Answer 1

There is no South African state with that name - and hasn't been for over 100 years (it became known as Free State in 1902).

As you probably know, the first nation to colonise South Africa was Holland (and it is still quite possible for a native Dutch speaker to understand 90% of Afrikaans - and vice versa.) and the 'Orange' bit was bestowed upon the state after the Dutch ruling house - the House of Orange. The Principality of Orange is now part of Southern France.

It was also called the Orange Free State because it's between the Orange and Vaal rivers (the Transvaal is named for the same reason).

The Free State bit is because that's what it used to be - a free state wholly independent of the rest of South Africa.

I could type more - but why should I, when Wikipedia is your friend...? ;o)

Oh buggrit - here's a link to the Wikipedia article <>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Free...

Answer 2

The original name was the Orange River Sovereignty, thus named after the Orange River. The Orange River was named in honour of the Dutch House of Orange, the ruling family in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the leading olligarchical family of the Dutch Republic since the 1570's. The present Queen of the Netherlands is a direct descendant of this family.

The Oranje-Vrijstaat was an independent Boer Republic in  during the 19th century,  later becoming a British colony and then  province of the Union of South Africa in 1910. The borders of the Freestate lay between the Orange and Vaal rivers (beyond the Vaal River was the Trans-Vaal, hence the name, Transvaal.) These borders were established in 1848 by Britain when the region was proclaimed as the Orange River Sovereignty.

In the northern part of the territory a Voortrekker Republic was established at Winburg in 1837. This state merged with the Republic of Potchefstroom which later formed part of the Zuid Afrikaansch Republiek (Transvaal).

After granting independence to the Transvaal, the British recognised the independent Orange River Sovereignty on 17 February 1854 -  the country  became independent as the Orange Free State on 23 February 1854 (Orange River Convention). The new republic incorporated both the Orange River Sovereignty Winburg-Potchefstroom Republic.

During the Second Anglo-Boer War the Freestate was  annexed as the Orange River Colony (1900) effectively ceasing to exist on 31 May 1902 at  the Treaty of Vereeniging that ended the Second Anglo-Boer War.

Re the comment above about the Orange Free State not existing for 102 years, utter drivel-  on 9 June 1995 the name was changed from the Orange Free State to Free State. The current borders date from 1994 when the bantustans were  included into the provinces of South Africa.

Answer 3

The region north of the Orange River was occupied mostly by Sotho-speaking people at the beginning of the 19th century. The first European settlements in the region were made between 1810 and 1820. Starting in 1835 most of the Afrikaners, or Boers (descendants of Dutch and Huguenot settlers) left and headed west and north where they joined other Voortrekkers (Afrikaans for “pioneers”), made their Great Trek from the Cape Colony, a British colony in the southern and western parts of what is now South Africa, where they were dissatisfied with the British government. Thousands of Afrikaners settled first in the region of Natal on the Indian Ocean, but when the British annexed Natal in 1845, many Afrikaners moved inland. The Afrikaners soon created a republic in these inland territories north of the Orange River. However, the republic was annexed in 1848 by the British, who named it the Orange River Sovereignty. Six years later Britain relinquished the territory, which then became the independent Orange Free State.

Thus the Orange Free State got its name from the "Oranje", the colour of the Dutch royal family.

Answer 4

Because they grow oranges there and you can pick them for free! Very pleasant farmers there.

Answer 5

I'm guessing it was named by the Boer's.  They were settlers in South Africa who originated from the Netherlands.  The Dutch Royal Family was called the "House of Orange".  Even today, the national colour of Holland is orange - as are the shirts of the national soccer team.