1669
Krotoa banished to Robben Island
After her husband’s death, VOC officials detained Krotoa in 1669 and banished her to Robben Island following accusations about her conduct.
View in timelineKrotoa had worked for years as an interpreter and intermediary between the VOC settlement and Khoikhoi communities. After the death of her husband, Pieter van Meerhof, in 1668, she returned from Robben Island to the Cape with their children. Her earlier household position and influence had diminished, and Company records describe a period of heavy drinking and repeated absence from the settlement.
In February 1669, VOC officials detained Krotoa at the Castle and banished her to Robben Island. The official reasons were expressed through accusations about drinking, sexuality and disorderly conduct. The decision also separated her from her children, who were placed under church and Company supervision.
Significance
The banishment marked a sharp change in the treatment of a former interpreter and household intermediary, placing her and her children under the Company’s custodial system.
Why it matters
The banishment marked a sharp change in the treatment of a former interpreter and household intermediary, placing her and her children under the Company’s custodial system.
Disputed interpretations
The surviving account is largely written by VOC officials, whose moral judgements about Krotoa's drinking, sexuality and conduct require careful attribution rather than repetition as neutral fact.