Realistic "Draka" Rough TL

Hey everyone, so I've been tinkering around with this idea for a while, when it's been proposed in the past it's generated some interest, but not as much as I'd initially thought. The basic gist of it is...taking the initial POD for the Draka books and moving on from there without having any specific end goal in mind such as the infamous Domination.

I've put my ideas down in a rough timeline form, figured I'd see what y'all think.


1781: Admiral George Johnstone decisively defeats the French at the Battle of Porto Praya and goes on to conquer the Cape Colony. African Khoikhoi and Griqua/Mixed race people play a large role in this conquest.

1781-1783: The Cape Colony is placed under military occupation while the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War continues to rage along with the American Revolutionary war. Britain does slightly better in Asia/India due to the capture of the Cape Colony and the problems it poses to the Dutch. During the occupation the British military makes strategic alliances with the Khoikhoi and the Griqua to “keep the peace” and ensure that only a small garrison is needed. The conclusion of the American Revolutionary War brings up the question of what to do with those African Americans who have enlisted/escaped with the British Army. Those that are not returned to their owners are encouraged to settle in the Cape Colony in a "back to Africa" movement.

1784: The Treaty of Paris awards the Cape Colony to Britain making the war an even larger disaster for the Dutch (domestic rammifications?). The British see the seizure of the Cape Colony as a potential settling place for American Loyalists and in so doing offer free land and subsidized immigration to whomever will take it. In reward for their loyalty to the British the Khoikhoi and the Griqua are offered improved rights.

1785-1800: Roughly ¼ of OTL Loyalists (13,000) who left America end up heading to South Africa and taking advantage of the offers of free land. In particular South Africa is the destination of choice for Black Loyalists due to them having better prospects/climate there than in America. South Africa also becomes a replacement for the American colonies as the destination for British convicts bolstering its population even more. These colonists expand the borders of the Cape Colony even more but also lead to increasing fears among the Dutch population of Anglicization. Furthermore the liberal treatment of Free Africans and Mixed Race peoples by the British colonial government raises the ire of the Dutch settlers. Those mad enough, and with remaining ties elsewhere emigrate. However the better economic policies of the British entice many to stay.

1787: Instead of settling at the sight of Sierra Leone, British abolitionists settle the “black poor” in South Africa. However they run into difficulties with the colonial authorities in Cape Town. Eventually a compromise is found and the site of Walvis Bay in OTL Namibia is selected for settlement.

1789-1801: During this time the 2nd Xhosa war is also fought with the British forces delivering a decisive defeat against the Xhosa and driving them further east.

1801: A smaller group of Dutch settlers (percentage wise in population) attempts a “Great Trek” in order to save their culture from the growing British domination of South Africa. This trek is marked by several defeats resulting in many turning back. The British governor handles this well however with the returning Dutch being granted amnesty etc.

1802: Last of the Voortrekkers return, the failure of the Great Trek has a substantial impact on the remaining Dutch colonists and begins to have an impact on their thoughts regarding race and relations with the British.

1803-1804: Emulating the voortrekkers British authorities begin to expand North East opening the region to future settlement by convicts and settlers.

1807: Britain outlaws the slave trade as per OTL. From this point on convict labour begins to replace slave labour in South Africa?

1811: 20 years after TTL's British takeover of South Africa has seen the region change dramatically. A massive influx of English immigration by both American Loyalists and convicts has established them as the largest settler community. Dutch culture in the region is slowly beginning to fade as intermarriage and sheer numbers take their toll. In addition to changing white settler trends, S. Africa is dotted by dozens of Khoikhoi, Griqua, and Free African communities who have fought hard for their rights and are quite loyal to the colonial government so long as those rights are maintained. Furthermore, a growing abolitionist movement is taking shape in the region influenced both by events in Britain and local experiences.

Longer Term
-The Abolition of Slavery, though not popular in South Africa isn’t as big a catastrophe as expected. Different measures ensure a rather smooth transition towards a free-er economy. Though some call for a second trek they are quickly shouted down as by this point intermarriage has tied the remaining Dutch colonists to the Cape.

-Shaka Zulu runs up against growing British colony in South Africa and is defeated in the 1820’s. However due to their ferocity in warfare an perhaps an agreement is made in which the British crown can recruit Zulu warriors to fight for it (much like the Gurkhas). These troops could be employed by the British during the Indian Mutiny.

-Due to no great trek South Africa pushes inland slower than OTL but along the coast faster due to penal settlements

-Fewer convicts to Australia (mostly politically dangerous ones are sent there)

Thoughts? Don't be shy, If I've gotten anything grievously wrong I'm more than willing to revisit it. I know I'm probably a bit too optimistic but at the same time I'm pretty convinced that an earlier British conquest of the region is going to lead to a more liberal "nicer" S. Africa in time.
 

Nebogipfel

Monthly Donor
Why ? I mean, the novels were published over 20 years ago and are generally regarded as wankfest/crap. So why we just don't forget the stuff ... :confused::confused:
 
I read the Draka books years ago. I got a kick out of the first three, in a morbid sort of way.

In this new TL it doesn't seem like the Draka (whatever it will be called) is going to be as lethal as SM Stirling's delightfully diseased society. The Boers are absorbed into British society (I'll assume they abandon their Calvinism for Anglicanism?)At the very least there is less of the "anti-Enlightenment" philosophy which was popular.

It looks like Draka style slavery won't play a role, so if there's to be another settler state emerging it at least won't be the feudal conquest state of Draka.

What effects will the French Revolution have? Will there be conservative aristocrats emigrating to South Africa?

I thought the Draka books were ASB, not plausible, but they were great for historical thought experiments. I don't know a lot about early South African history, or that country's agricultural and resource base, but I could see a US style settler state emerging but I don't see it spreading over all of Africa.
 
I say continue with this. Like the mix so far.

Interesting. I like the idea and it has been a while since anybody put anything like this up.

Please continue.

Thanks!

Why ? I mean, the novels were published over 20 years ago and are generally regarded as wankfest/crap. So why we just don't forget the stuff ... :confused::confused:

Sorry if I didn't communicate my intent early. I thought the Draka books though entertaining weren't the most plausible alternate history. I thought it took a lot of authorial fiat to get the Draka society to evolve the way it did, not the most plausible development whatsoever. Again what I'm trying to do is take the initial POD that the Draka series used and develop it in the most likely way possible which will obviously lead to a TL vastly different than that in the stories.

I read the Draka books years ago. I got a kick out of the first three, in a morbid sort of way.

In this new TL it doesn't seem like the Draka (whatever it will be called) is going to be as lethal as SM Stirling's delightfully diseased society. The Boers are absorbed into British society (I'll assume they abandon their Calvinism for Anglicanism?)At the very least there is less of the "anti-Enlightenment" philosophy which was popular.

It looks like Draka style slavery won't play a role, so if there's to be another settler state emerging it at least won't be the feudal conquest state of Draka.

What effects will the French Revolution have? Will there be conservative aristocrats emigrating to South Africa?

I thought the Draka books were ASB, not plausible, but they were great for historical thought experiments. I don't know a lot about early South African history, or that country's agricultural and resource base, but I could see a US style settler state emerging but I don't see it spreading over all of Africa.

Yeah...I guess the title is a bit misleading. Basically I don't see a society like the Draka developing at all. In fact I think something far closer to the opposite developing is more likely. As for the Boers adopting Anglicanism I don't think that's too likely. Even if they do they won't have to abandon their Calvinism afterall some of the greatest Calvinist scholars in my opinion J.I Packer and all the English Puritans for example all came out of the Anglican church (there are plenty of other more modern ones I'm missing I know but I'm tired).
 

Hnau

Banned
Yeah, this looks very interesting. Basically, the timeline could be named "Earlier Development of British South Africa". I'll be following it. :)
 
That's pretty cool that you're starting off with the same rough premise but plan to take the TL in a completely different direction from that silly book series.
 
Yeah, this looks very interesting. Basically, the timeline could be named "Earlier Development of British South Africa". I'll be following it. :)

That's pretty much word for word what I titled my MS word document (substitute conquest for development". But I'd figure if I threw "Draka" into the mix the thread would get a few more views and hopefully attract the haters who know a bit about S. African History who could then contribute to a more realistic TL.

Anyways I'm preparing a more detailed version of the above with some thoughts on the future to roughly 1830
 
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