Jan Jonker Afrikaner (c. 1820 in Bethanie,

South West Africa South West Africa ( af, Suidwes-Afrika; german: Südwestafrika; nl, Zuidwest-Afrika) was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990, after which it became modern-day Namibia. It bordered Angola (Portuguese colony before 1 ...

– 10 August 1889 near Tsoabis, South West Africa) was the second oldest son of

Jonker Afrikaner Jonker Afrikaner ( 1785, ''Roode Zand'' near Tulbagh, South Africa – 18 August 1861, Okahandja) was the fourth Captain of the Orlam in South West Africa, succeeding his father, Jager Afrikaner, in 1823. Soon after becoming ''Kaptein'', h ...

and Beetje Boois. He became the sixth and last Captain of the

Orlam The Oorlam or Orlam people (also known as Orlaam, Oorlammers, Oerlams, or Orlamse Hottentots) are a subtribe of the Nama people, largely assimilated after their migration from the Cape Colony (today, part of South Africa) to Namaqualand and Dam ...

Afrikaners in South West Africa, succeeding his brother

Christian Afrikaner Christian Afrikaner (before 1820 – 15 June 1863) was the oldest son of Jonker Afrikaner and Beetje Boois. He became the fifth Captain of the mixed-race Orlam Afrikaners in South-West Africa, after the death of his father in 1861. Christian was ...

in 1863. He married Mietje Hendrik in Bethanie in December 1842. The Orlams at that time were in constant conflict with the Herero over land and cattle but did not have the support of the European traders in

Otjimbingwe Otjimbingwe (also: Otjimbingue) is a settlement in the Erongo Region of central Namibia. It has approximately 8,000 inhabitants. History The area was already a temporary settlement of some Herero in the early 18th century. Their chief Tjiponda c ...

, particularly

Karl Johan Andersson Karl John (Karl Johan) Andersson (4 March 1827 in Norra Råda Värmland, Sweden – 9 July 1867 in Angola) was a Swedish explorer, hunter and trader as well as an amateur naturalist and ornithologist. He is most famous for the many books he pub ...

and Frederick Green. They considered that the war was bad for trade, and helped organising and leading the Herero army. Consequently, the Herero were better equipped and gradually took over military dominance. On 22 June 1864, there was a decisive battle in which Jan Jonker Afrikaner's forces were defeated by

Maharero Maharero kaTjamuaha ( Otjiherero: ''Maharero, son of Tjamuaha'', short: Maharero; 1820 – 7 October 1890) was one of the most powerful paramount chiefs of the Herero people in South-West Africa, today's Namibia. Early life Maharero, wa ...

. He remained leader but the Afrikaner tribe lost their position of political dominance in the area that is today central

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

. In December 1867 he had to flee to Walvis Bay after he unsuccessfully tried to attack Otjimbingwe. In November 1881 Jan Jonker, with his Witbooi allies, were defeated by the Ovaherero in the Battle of Osona. Jan Jonker fled to the Gamsberg area.

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* 1820s births 1889 deaths People from ǁKaras Region Nama people Namibian revolutionaries Oorlam people {{Namibia-politician-stub