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This is the e-version of Francois Pretorius' meticulously researched book.

In 1719 the last original descendant of the original Pretorius family died in the Netherlands. In the meantime the Pretorius progenitor has already arrived in South Africa, and his descendants were to make a lasting impression on the history and development of the country.

This book was initially intended to present the results of research into the origins of the Pretorius family in Europe, but quickly developed into a more encompassing journey into the cultural and sociopolitical environment in Western Europe and more specifically the Netherlands.

Valuable new information has been uncovered which has cast a new light on the departure on 17 December 1765 from the Netherlands of progenitor Johannes Pretorius. Johannes left the Netherlands as a naval soldier, travelled to the Cape but almost immediately left for Mauritius, where he eventually became second-in-command. He settled in the Cape at the end of 1669.

More and more South Africans are asking about their roots, why they are here in SA and what the future holds for them and their offspring. This book charts the Pretorius family's journey through the Western European landscape of the 16th and 17th centuries, the progenitor's time in Mauritius and his arrival at the Cape, and answers many hitherto unanswered questions.

Format: Downloadable PDF (±26mb, zipped)