Stoffel Vermark
Stoffel Vermark | |
|---|---|
 Portrait c. 1873 | |
| 1st President of Rozengria | |
| In office April 30, 1862 – March 4, 1886 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik de Villiers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 22, 1821 Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony |
| Died | December 16, 1898 (aged 77) |
| Resting place | Magalies, Rozengria |
| Political party | Rozengrian Front |
| Spouse | Jean de Kriel (m. 1859) |
| Parent | Wessel Vermark (father) |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  South African Republic Voortrekkers Rozengria |
Stoffel Vermark (October 22, 1821 – December 16, 1898) was the founder and first president of Rozengria. A renowned Trek leader, he is responsible for leading the Vaalstroom Pioneer Column, establishing the Republic of Vaalstroom, and later the Rozengrian nation. Vermark is credited for laying the foundation for Rozengria’s government, establishing a constitution and a parliamentary system. A devout agricultural expansionist, Vermark prioritized the growth of Rozengria’s agrarian economy and the migration of Afrikaner settlers, alongside the foundation of the Rozengrian Police. Vermark played an indispensable role in adopting and ratifying the Constitution of Rozengria, and his image is an icon of Rozengrian culture.
Early life
Stoffel Vermark was born on October 22, 1821, in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony, into a family of Dutch-descended Afrikaners. Raised in a farming household, Vermark grew up with a strong sense of autonomy. This sense of independence would ultimately lead him into the Boer nationalist movement, where he would then become an ardent supporter of Afrikaner self determination.
Pioneer Column
In 1854, Vermark led the Vaalstroom Pioneer Column on a expedition northward. This migration, part of the broader Great Trek, was with the intentions to establish a new Boer settlement outside of British jurisdiction. Vermark’s column attempted to settle in many areas, notably the area encompassing the Mthwakazi Kingdom, but most times were driven out by the Mthwakazi. In the end, Vermark's column was able to settle north of the Zambezi river and establish the Vaalstroom colonial post (now Livingstone, Zambia). This area would later expand to become the Republic of Vaalstroom. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Simwichelle in 1862, which saw the Vaalstroom Republic incorporate the neighboring Kingdom of Barotseland, a decisive event that solidified Boer control over the region. This treaty subsequently caused the establishment of Rozengria, with Vermark at its helm as the nation’s first president.
Government
Vermark implemented a series of foundational policies that would shape the country’s early years. He emphasized agricultural self-sufficiency, establishing Rozengria as an agrarian nation and allocating land grants to Boer settlers. His policies encouraged a wave of Afrikaner immigration, reinforcing the white-majority governance structure he believed essential to Rozengria’s identity. Economically, Vermark supported the growth of mining and agriculture, encouraging the settlement of fertile lands and the development of trade networks with neighboring regions.