Fort Gross Friedrichsburg, Princestown / Fort Gross Frederiksburg, (1683)
The history of the Brandenburg fort, Fort Gross Fredericksburg, still reverberates in the Caribbean, via the John Canoe festivals. On Manfro Hill, in Princestown, in the Western Region of Ghana, the Brandenburg Africa Company, led by Benjamin Raule, under the patronage of the Frederick William of Brandenburg, built the luxurious Fort Gross Fredericksburg as their headquarters, between 1683 and 1684, desiring also ‘a place in the sun’ and the riches of the Gold Coast. It is the only fort in Ghana with Germanic authors.
|
A farmyard lookalike, the fort had 32 cannons upon completion; and only a strong defence would have been a sufficient deterrent to assaults from the Dutch and British, who resented further foreign intrusion into the area. This was especially so because as few Brandenburg ships arrived on the coast, the fort traded with merchants from all nations, becoming the hub for smugglers along the coast.
Picture (c) by Obruni
|
|
See below location map Princestown.
Jonn Conny, Chief of the Ahanta ethnic group, often referred to as ‘the King of Prinze Terre’, as the Prussian’s African broker, was a most effective ally, succeeding in directing such trade to the fort that revenues dwindled at the Dutch forts at Axim, Butre and Sekondi. Over 95 ships are recorded to have traded with Fort Fredericksburg between 1711 and 1713.
Search 3 of our sites: ghana-net.com, ghananet.co.uk and ghanawebnews.online
Search ghana-net.com OR ghanaweb-news.com (ONLY)
Radio Live Pages |
Ghana Info Pages |
More Ghana Links
British Gold Coast (Many pictures shown!)
Fort Batenstein (full info website) Logbuch.Ghana-net.net (Deutsch) GhanaHotels.biz (400 + Hotels) All Towns of Ghana, by Region A - Z Preventive child health inequality 1283 private health institutions in Ghana |
Welcome to Ghana! Akwaaba!
Ghana-Net.com is one of Ghana`s oldest websites, with tourism information`s about Ghana, Live Radio, life and culture of of all Ghana Nation`s, and tribes - like Ga people, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Dagbani, Frafra, Krobo and many other tribes and kingdoms of Ghana.
Ghana-Net.com 1st time online late December 2000, and updated since 2001 !
Ghana-Net.com is one of Ghana`s oldest websites, with tourism information`s about Ghana, Live Radio, life and culture of of all Ghana Nation`s, and tribes - like Ga people, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Dagbani, Frafra, Krobo and many other tribes and kingdoms of Ghana.
Ghana-Net.com 1st time online late December 2000, and updated since 2001 !
Ghana-Net.com - connected with; GhanaRadio.online /
GhanaMirror.com / GhanaWeb-News.com / GhanaMirror.uk / GhanaHotels.biz / GhanaFlights.info /
GhanaMirror.com / GhanaWeb-News.com / GhanaMirror.uk / GhanaHotels.biz / GhanaFlights.info /
Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions and Disclaimer / Services / Contact Us / (c) by ghana-net.com 2000- 2019