EXPLORER

Piet Retief

1780 - 1838

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Pieter Mauritz Retief (12 November 1780 – 6 February 1838) was a Voortrekker leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he later assumed command of punitive expeditions during the sixth Xhosa War. He became a spokesperson for the frontier farmers who voiced their discontent, and wrote the Voortrekkers' declaration at their departure from the colony. He was a leading figure during their Great Trek, and at one stage their elected governor. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Piet Retief is the 364th most popular explorer (down from 344th in 2019), the 97th most popular biography from South Africa (down from 82nd in 2019) and the most popular South African Explorer.

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Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Piet Retief ranks 364 out of 498. Before him are Matvei Gedenshtrom, Albert von Le Coq, Friedrich Gerhard Rohlfs, Edward S. Curtis, Theodor von Heuglin, and Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville. After him are Vivian Fuchs, Eudoxus of Cyzicus, John Biscoe, Stepan Krasheninnikov, Arnaud-Michel d'Abbadie, and Alexandre de Serpa Pinto.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1780, Piet Retief ranks 44. Before him are Alexey Venetsianov, Henri Braconnot, Fulgencio Yegros, Karoline von Günderrode, José Joaquín de Olmedo, and Matvei Gedenshtrom. After him are Elizabeth Fry, Johann Friedrich Adam, Yakov Sannikov, Henry Salt, Michele Tenore, and Antonie Brentano. Among people deceased in 1838, Piet Retief ranks 31. Before him are Jędrzej Śniadecki, Osceola, Maximilian von Montgelas, Ferenc Kölcsey, Ignaz von Rudhart, and Georges Mouton. After him are Ludwig Abeille, Thomas Andrew Knight, Friedrich Accum, Maria Cosway, Paine Wingate, and Letitia Elizabeth Landon.

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In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Piet Retief ranks 97 out of 454. Before him are Trevor Jones (1949), Janet Suzman (1939), Frances Ames (1920), Evelyn Mase (1922), Lawrence Stevens (1913), and John Cranko (1927). After him are Koos de la Rey (1847), Julius Malema (1981), Bruce Grobbelaar (1957), Renée Schuurman (1939), Jamie Uys (1921), and Claude Chevalley (1909).

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Among EXPLORERS In South Africa

Among explorers born in South Africa, Piet Retief ranks 1. 

South African born Explorers

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