This is an english translation of the article "Der Goldhandel und Goldbergbau im

15. bis 18. Jahrhundert an der Goldkueste (Ghana) und die Aktivitaeten der
Brandenburg-Preussen" which was published in German in the Zeitschrift der
Foerderer des Bergbaus und des Huettenwesens, Nr. 1, 20. Jahrgang, May
1986.

Gold Trade and Gold Mining in the 15th to 18th Century at the
Gold Coast (Ghana) and the Activities of the Brandenburg-
Prussians

By Winfried Peters (* 30.11.1952 † 15.05.2001)

1. Introduction

Since 1980 the Institute of Mining and Geosciences of the Technical University
of Berlin carried out an educational project at the University of Science and
Technology (UST) in Kumasi and the UST School of Mines in Tarkwa, Ghana,
Westafrica. Eichmeyer (1) reported about this project already, in which this
author did participate.

This project of scientific cooperation in the areas of mining and minerals

sciences is not the first contact between Germany and Ghana (earlier called
Gold Coast or Guinea). At the end of the 17th Century the Brandenburg-
Prussians had undertaken mining activities on the Gold Coast already apart
from gold-trade. The historical background of these early mining activities will
be presented in the light of the then prevailing political and economical
conditions. In this context the early mining attempts of other European powers
as well as the indigenous mining activities in those days are described. The
development of the modern industrial gold mining sector in Ghana was
presented by Gosten and Peters (2) elsewhere.

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2. Historical Development and Trade at the Gold Coast up to the End of
the 17th Century

The first gold from Guinea or later the Gold Coast, the name given to Ghana
throughout centuries, was carried by the Phoenicians and Carthagenians to
Europe in the 6th and 5th century B.C. via sea. The trade connections on land
from West Africa via Timbouctou to the Mediterranean were established by the
Saracenes in the early 9th century A.D. This led to a continuous trade of gold
from West Africa in exchange of brass, iron and iron products (weapons), silver,
salt, cloth and horses (3).

West Africa in general and the Gold Coast in particular was known in Europe to
be a gold producer and the Venetian Cada Mosto, who participated in trading-
ventures by ship to West Africa in 1455/56 reported that in the 14th and 15th
century the gold coinage of Portugal, Spain and Italy was nearly entirely minted
from West African gold (4, cited by 3).

Caused by the excessive financial demands of the European royal courts during
those times and accelerated by the political and military conflict with the
Moores/Saracenes on the Iberian Peninsula all efforts were undertaken to
control the trade with the West African gold countries or even to secure
possession of these gold sources. French sailors from Dieppe are said to have
reached the Gold Coast as early as in 1364 and had built a stronghold at
Elmina in 1413 (3). But only the arrival of the Portuguese on the Gold Coast in
1471 is historically documented. They started trade in gold dust at the mouth of
the river Pra at Shama (5) after having passed by ship CABO TRIS PUNTAS
(Cape Three Points) and CABO CORSO (Cape Coast). This gold trade was
monopolized after a short time by the Portuguese Court and led in 1482 to the
construction of the castle SAO JORGE DA MINA (later Elmina) with the aim to
secure the gold trade mainly against other European competitors (6).

Until the end of the 16th Century Portugal remained the only power operating
permanent trading posts on the Gold Coast. For the early part of the 16th
century the gold dust bought annually is estimated at 24,000 ounces, about
10% of the then world production of gold (7).

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The French became competitors first when undertaking trading ventures to the
Gold Coast from 1530 onwards. In 1542 a French ship visited CAPE THREE
POINTS and returned to France with 1000 ounces of gold (7). The first
Englishman on the Gold Coast was Captain Thomas Wyngham (Windham) who
shipped 150 pounds of gold to England in 1553. Later travels by John Lok and
William Towerson followed which were observed by the English Court with
growing interest. But the English activities remained not coordinated until 1618.
In 1592 the first traders from Netherlands (Bernard Erecksz) reached the Gold
Coast which were by far better organized and prepared for all kind of trade.
They established themselves with trading posts at MORI, BUTRE,
KORMANTINE, and COMMENDA.

In 1580 Portugal was conquered by Spain and the reformed Northern Provinces
(Netherlands) separated by sezession from the catholic Spain in 1581.
Consequently the Dutch undertook everything possible to drive the Portuguese
away from the Gold Coast, this to reduce the income of their enemy, Spain. The
Dutch West Indies Trading Company was founded in 1629 and the Portuguese
were forced out of their possessions on the Gold Coast between 1637 and
1642. Between 1600 and 1630 all gold used by the mints of the Netherlands
came from Guinea/Gold Coast.

Around this time the "Thirty Year War" devastated Europe (1618-1648). After
the conclusion of the peace treaty in 1648 sea forces were set free in Sweden
and Danmark, with which trade on the Gold Coast was started. The presence of
the different European nations on the Gold Coast at the time of the erection of
the Castles of the Brandenburg-Prussians can be studied in Fig. 1 and Table 1.

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Table 1: Foundation of Castles at the Coast of Guinee between Axim
and Mori (Cape Coast) and ownerships around 1700 AD.
TOWN TRADE FORT or CASTLEOWNER of CASTLE at 1700
Name Foundation Nation Nation since (year)

AXIM San Antonio 1515 Portugal Netherlands 1642

POKOSO Gross Friedrichsb. 1683 B/Prussia B/Prussia 1683
TAKRAMA Fort Sophie L. 1685 B/Prussia B/Prussia 1685
ACCADA Fort Dorothea 1684 B/Prussia B/Prussia 1690
DIXCOVE Fort Metal Cross 1691 England England 1691
BUTRI Fort Batenstein 1598 Netherlands Netherlands 1598
SECONDI Fort Orange 1670 Netherlands Ahanta 1694
SHAMA San Sebastian 1500? Portugal Netherlands 1640
COMENDA Fort Vredenburg 1688 Netherlands Netherlands 1688
ELMINA San George 1482 Portugal Netherlands 1637
CAPE COAST Cape Coast C. 1652 Sweden England 1664
MORI Fort Nassau 1598 Netherlands Netherlands 1598

Fig. 1: Overview map of the Gold Coast at 1700 A.D.

In the 15th to 17th Century the activities of these European forces were
restricted to the coastal areas alone. It has to be assumed that they were
strongly depending on the local African powers due to their trading activities.
Independent control and influence they were able only to enforce within the
firing radius of the cannons of their forts and castles.

Due to the political conflicts in the hinterland of the Gold Coast some African
coastal states were ready to grant to the European forces rights for the erection
of forts on their land mainly with the aim to derive protection and re-enforcement
for themselves. In addition, benefits were expected from the mutual trade.
Because the Europeans did not understand at all the internal African politics
and the existing balances of power they were often caught in on-going conflicts
among local war-factions especially when they established additional castles

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and trading forts in areas belonging to local enemies of their first hosts. From
time to time conflicting African powers entered into treaties with inimical
European powers to exploit the help of their cannons for their own war ends.

Since the 12th Century the AKAAN peoples migrated from the Northwest of the
area of today`s Mali to the Gold Coast. These migrants split up into several
tribes and assimilated or drove away the inhabitants they met with in the land.
They founded and developed the states of AKWAMU, AKIM, FANTE,
DENKYERA and ASANTE. These state forming processes were accompanied
by various conflicts and wars and the resulting prisoners of war became a main
source of supply for the emerging slave trade at the coast and led in turn to the
acquisition of iron weapons, especially rifles and black powder from the
Europeans.

Gold mining in the hinterland and the gold trade to the coast was often
interrupted by those wars and the European trading forts did not receive any
gold for months. They then changed their commerce to slave-trading because
slaves were available in larger quantities during war-times.

3. Records on Gold Mining and Gold Trade

Likely the Portuguese were the first Europeans who carried out gold mining on
the Gold Coast besides the common gold trade. Shortly after 1470 F. Gomez
opened a mine at ABROBI near Commenda, which was in operation until 1621
when it collapsed because of uncoordinated stoping, missing support and weak
pillars (5).

Protected by the castle SAN ANTONIO (at Axim) in 1630 the Portuguese
started another mine at Aboasi, which was destroyed on 18th December 1636
by an earth-quake. Aboasi was said to be situated 8 km up-river on the DUMA
(Dumba) river, a tributary of the ANKOBRA. The actual location of the mine
could not be traced up to date. But it can be assumed that this mine was
situated at or nearby the later ETINASI/AKOKO mine (south of Simpa). For the
KANYANKAW mine further east also the local traditions remember Portuguese
mining activities.

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Up to the end of the 17th century the activities of the other European forces
were restricted to trade (barter) of gold for goods only. The main source of the
gold was the hinterland, although some gold was washed on the shores, as
described by the traveller SAMUEL BRUN in his book "Guineeische und
Angolanische Schiffahrten" after he had spent some time on the fort NASSAU
in 1624:
"Because it is told that this country Guinea is very rich in gold I shall shortly
describe how the gold is searched for.
They keep many slaves who search for gold in the sands near our fort. When it
does rain they find more of it than at other times. They sweep their dwellings
and streets very often and produce hereby gold. At a certain time I met about
500 slaves at the sea who worked the beach sands for gold. And if the soil or
the sand is of yellow-brown colour, gold will be present therein with certainty.
But there is not as much gold production as to cover the cost of a trading ship.
But the Abrambuer and Akanists travel about 300 miles into the interior and
carry about 100 pounds of gold on their return."

A more detailed description from the area around Cape Coast is provided by
the Reverend W.J. MUELLER in 1673, who served as parish priest from 1661
to 1669 on Fort Fredericksborg (later Fort Royal):
"The European goods .... are paid with gold nuggets and are then carried into
the interior of the country FETU to Accania first, about five days travel distance
to Cape Coast. Around there are gold veins but it is told that they carry not very
much gold. From there the goods are transferred through Allance nach Accabel,
a twelve days travel behind Accania. And it is the latter country which
possesses the richest gold mountains from which the largest quantities and best
qualities of gold are produced and used for the purchase of the European
goods.
A Christian had never reached this gold land and therefore nobody can really
know what the actual matter is with these gold deposits and the exploitation
methods for gold. Especially when some people might assume these barbaric
tribes are by far too in-experienced to search and dig for the gold. But enough
information is available from the Accanists who communicate every day with the
Whites in the country FETU: That the Accseer explore the gold veins in the

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rocks deep in the earth with a lot of effort and danger. They use a number of
tools, large iron hoes, baskets and ropes not only to dig inclines and tunnels in
the ground but to extract the gold found there. They do recall that a larger
number of slaves quite often is lost through the collapse of the gold diggings.
Most of the gold which is brought by the traders from Accania was chisselled
out in larger lumps together with the host-rock and carried up from the
underground mines. These larger lumps will then be crushed and comminuted
to enable the separation of the rock and other impurities. Among the Accanists
one might find from time to time some smaller gold nuggets with adhering rocks
and sand which remained in their original state as they were chisselled out. This
is the kind of gold the Accanists use to purchase European trading goods, gold
from the Accanists mountains."

Olfert DAPPER (ca. 1636 - 1689) wrote in 1668 in his book "Umstaendliche und
Eigentliche Beschreibung von Africa" in the chapter "Guinee" (10):
"Quite a number of these kingdoms are rich in gold, which is named by them
Chika. Even at the beaches gold occurs and is washed by the floods on-shore
and is then collected by the women at low-tide who gather from time to time
pieces of the size of two or three Guilders value. But the gold which is offered to
the Dutch had been obtained mostly from rivers or was dug in gold shafts and
carried by the Blackmen to the coast from the areas of Fantin, Akanien, Adom,
Akara and others. They do not find it in their countries but barter it for European
goods from other Blackmen who live further inland.

The location of gold shafts no Blackman knows who is living at the coast. Also
the Whites have never been there. They are perfectly kept hidden and
protected by the owners, namely the kings. Because every king possesses his
own gold mines from which his subjects dig the gold which he trades to other
Blackmen who live nearer to the coast. Therefore the gold passes from hand to
hand until it is sold to the Dutch. At times the gold is searched for in rivers which
flow down from the mountains and carry the gold along, especially in the gold-
rich Atzin river below river bars and water falls.
The largest quantities of gold is mined in the underground diggings in the
mountains."

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From the cited records it is obvious that the main source of the gold was the
African gold mining operations. How was this vein mining carried out ?

More recent research and archeological investigations (11,12) have proved that
the mining techniques described by later eye-witnesses like Skertchley (13) and
MacDonald (14) were likewise used in the 16th/17th century. To mine the gold-
bearing reefs shafts of 60 to 90 cm diameter were sunk down to the reef or in
steep dipping reefs driven direct in the mineralization. The narrow diameter of
the shaft did provide working space for one man only and mining was carried
out with hand tools. The ore was lifted with baskets or clay- or pumpkin pots. To
ascend or descend holes were dug in the walls of the shaft, support was
uncommon, for lighting purposes palmoil-lamps were used. Horizontal tunnels
were rarely driven because missing knowledge of suitable support methods had
caused high losses of miners. The construction of such tunnels was therefore
assumed to be forbidden. Consequently, about up to 100 of such vertical shafts
were to be found on an area of about 2500 sq.m. When the reef was reached
with the shaft in most cases a bottle-shaped chamber was mined out at the
bottom. This often led to the collapse of these shafts even during time of
operation, later such an area was covered by holes and traps. In the late 19th
century many visitors of such mining fields reported on their dangerous nature.
The maximum depth of these shafts was reached at 15 to 25 m because neither
dewatering nor ventilation techniques were known.

In the course of a day about 30 litres ore were hoisted which was crushed either
direct at the shaft or in the village. The crushing was carried out with hammers,
milling was done on a flat stone with grinding stones, separation was effected
by washing the dust in kalabashes and at the end by picking the gold with
feathers. The gold dust was collected in the housing of a large, edible snail and
delivered. The Chief or King had the right to a certain part of the gold dust by
way of royalty, in most cases all nuggets found had to be surrendered as sole
property of the King.

Fig. 2: Sketch of African Shafts, after Wray in (15)

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At the end of the 17th century Bosman (16) noted that most of the gold offered
at the coast originated from DINKIRA (Denkyera), ACANNY, ASHANTI, AKIM,
AOWIN, WASSAW and EGWIRA.

4. Brandenburg-Prussia on the Gold Coast

The Emperor Elect Frederic Wilhelm (*1620) had had to be conversant with the
West African trade and the benefits therefrom because he spent some longer
time in the Netherlands for educational purposes. During this time his interest in
sea-trade was formed. When he succeded the throne in 1640 he met
Brandenburg-Prussia in a state of decline caused by the 30 years war. After the
conclusion of the peace in 1648 he developed a very expansive foreign policy,
which was hampered by missing funds and power. This might have convinced
him about the necessity of an accelerated development of a fleet and the over-
seas trade. His country needed urgently the returns of such trade for
consolidation of the budget, especially the import of gold.

By his special order of 13. July 1680 two ships, the "Wappen of Brandenburg"
(commanded by Bartelsen) and the "Morian" (commanded by Blonck) were
equipped and sent to West Africa for trading purposes (17). The undertaking
was not very successful because the Dutch took the "Wappen of Brandenburg"
away and forced the "Morian" to leave the waters off the Gold Coast, this in
order to defend their trade monopoly. But on 16th May 1681 the conclusion of
an agreement had taken place with three indigenous African trading princes of
the Ahanta at Cape Three Points. This agreement allowed the erection of a
castle and concluded the exclusive trade between these princes and the ships
from Brandenburg. Besides this agreement the Morian had carried 100 dutch
pounds of gold back home. From this first gold parcel the Emperor Elect
ordered the minting of two medals, which documented the joy about the first
receipt of West African gold, see Fig. 3 and 4, after (18).

Fig. 3: The smaller medal of Brandenburg, after Oelrichs in (18)

Fig. 4: The larger medal of Brandenburg, sketch after (18)

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On the 17th March, 1682 the Brandenburg-African Trading Company was
registered and officially recognized through the issuance of a protection charter
of 18th Nov. 1682. This "Oktroi fuer die Brandenburgisch-Afrikanische
Kompanie" expressively allowed the "negotiation for and trade with pepper,
elephant tusks, gold, slaves and what else there is offered and to carry out
commerce and free trade." (17)

By an "Order to Major Otto Friederich von der Groeben, who is herewith sent to
the coast of Guinee" (16. May 1682) two ships were again sent to the Gold
Coast, the "Churprinz" and the already known "Morian", with the aim to erect on
the basis of the concluded agreement a castle at Cape Three Points. V.d.
Groeben landed at POKOSO (Poquese, Poquefoe, today Princess Town) and
started the building of the castle "Gross Friedrichsburg" on the small
promontory MAMFORT (Manfro, Mumfort).

These developments were adjudged favorably by the trading princes of the

AHANTA, who at that time were engaged in a war with their eastern
neighbours, the ADOM, who in turn were allies of the Dutch. The Ahantas were
caught in something like a vice due to the fact that the Dutch had established
themselves also in the West at Fort St. Anthony near Axim. As reported by
Groeben in his travel description (20) the construction of the new castle led to
the immediate protest of the Dutch representative of Elmina and, after a short
time, to the attack of the Dutch together with the Adom. This aggression was
defeated. Groeben returned with the Morian to Brandenburg and the gold
receipts of this travel were used to mint the first "Guineas", each to the value of
three prussian taler. They showed on one side the picture of the Emperor Elect,
on the other a sailing ship of the time.

In the following years several ships with trade goods and large amounts of
building materials were sent to Gross-Friedrichsburg. The castle was expanded
(20 cannons) and after the conclusion of a further protection agreement another
fort was constructed near Accada, which was later named "Dorotheen-
Schanze" (6 cannons) after the wife of the Emperor Elect. For additional
protection of this fort and the castle itsself another stronghold (2 cannons)
named "Sophie-Louise" near Taccrama was built. Through the years 1685/86 a

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brisk trade was developed but later the conflicts with the Dutch-West-Indian
Company escalated who had since 1685 intercepted and taken away several
ships of Brandenburg and conquered in autumn 1687 the fort Dorotheen
Schanze at Accada.

After the death of the Emperor Elect in the year 1688, Friedrich III (later, from
1701 onwards named Friedrich I., King of Prussia) took over the reign and
through negotiations with the Dutch managed to have the Dorotheen Schanze
returned in 1690.

5. German Mining Activities and Gold Trade

The business of the Brandenburg-African Trading Company started to blossom

again in the following years. A delegation was sent to Denkyera in 1691. As
already mentioned above, Denkyera controlled the rich, gold producing states
of Wassaw, Aowin and Egwira. Wassaw hosts today's areas around Tarkwa
and Abosso. The visit of the delegation might have had at heart the promotion
of the internal gold trade to the coast.

1694 trade became again more and more difficult, likely due to the outbreak of
war between the Dutch and the people of Commenda. Such wars always
interrupted the gold supply from the hinterland. Bosman reported on his visit to
the castle Gross-Friedrichsburg (16):
"When I visited the Brandenburger in 1694 they complained that sometimes
they would not receive more than 2 marks of gold (= 16 ounces) in one month."

Of special interest is the reason for the war between the Dutch and the people
of Commenda: 1688 they built the fort VREDENBURG at Commenda, likely
without the consent of the king of Commenda (5). From this base they searched
for the old mines of the Portuguese at Abrobi Hill. For this exploration they
employed probably German miners, may be from Saxonia (22) because there
was no mining activity going on in the Netherlands at those times and they were
used to engage German miners for other overseas mining projects, for example
in Sumatra 1680 and in Capeland (South-Africa) in 1685 (23). These mining
attempts at Abrobi Hill led to open conflict, because this hill was held sacred by

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the people of Commenda since the time of the collapse of the Portuguese mine
in 1621. The mine had been obviously closed with a fetish to pacify the gods of
the earth and underground. The new mining activities were stopped by force,
the miners were abducted as prisoners. The Dutch had to withdraw and were
engaged over several years with this war.

Because of the permanently fluctuating gold supply and to increase the

profitability of the Brandenburg-African Trading Company it was anticipated to
take gold mining in their own hands. The mines-administrator Dannies and the
mine-captain Heitz were sent to Gross-Friedrichsburg to carry out exploration.
Dannies produced the view of the castle, see Fig. 5.

Fig. 5: View of the Castle Gross Friedrichsburg, drawn by Dannies (21)

The exploration must have been pursued by Dannies nearby the castle,
probably at the foot of the promontory Mamfort, on which the castle is situated.
Dannies reported himself in a letter of 22. Sept. 1697 about the activities:

"We have carried out some trenches during that time and started at a
determined place an adit, although this is still in clayey soil. That was the
situation three weeks ago when through influx of bad air in the shaft and tunnel
all miners became sick and three good men died within five days. The other
three are still heavily sick, Heitz in addition but because of a different illness. In
case more will die I should worry about our presence here although I still had
some hope not only to find gravel and waste but something valuable. There
might be some occurrence in the Spar, who intersects the soil and persists.
If I had had only healthy workers and among them 50 slaves. The latter were
missing from the beginning and I could not get them at all due to necessary
works on the castle. Half of them are crooked and lame anyhow that we had to
help us with a very few. It is not good here for miners to work especially
because of the missing food ( which others can obtain far easier and for less
money) which might cause them to die anyway in the long run, wether they fall
sick or not. One should have the opportunity to send out 2, 3 or 4 slaves to

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obtain and carry the food for them at all times. In general things here are bad
but even worse for those who do have their working place outside the castle far
in the bush. I still have hope that things will improve, if only the workers would
regain their health."

This by all means not positive conditions describing letter passed in the hands
of a mining inspector from Cleve, W.H. Staeden von Cronenfels (22), who
attached the following to the original writing on the 14. April 1698 (17):

"Attached I return the letter of the mining-administrator Siegmund Dannies and

its translated copy. Like in all other mines where adits are not yet connected
with the shaft the ventilation air might be poisenous, which is valid for Africa too.
Therefore miners will fall sick or can even die. But all mining experts should
agree with me that the information given
 provides good prospects to meet rich samples and good ores in the
future, especially because
 a clayey soil and
 a white Spar in the clayey soil has been met with and
 can be consitently followed during the driving of the adit as well as
during sinking of the shaft. Therefore it can be concluded that
 they are working on a good ore-vein, especially because
 they reported that in the Spar native gold is found
so that I, following my knowledge and expertise, can not advise my Excellency
in a different way than to propose to the Emperor Elect, our gracious Lord , to
continue this rich mine in the name of God with more efforts and to wait for its
obvious blessing."

For second opinion the famous "goldmaker" (Alchemist) of Peacock Island

(near Berlin), the inventor/producer of "ruby-glass" Johann Kunckel was asked
for his opinion. Kunckel had worked in Berlin from 1677-85 and moved then to
the Court of Karl VI. of Sweden. On the basis of the letter of Dannies sent to
him he arrived at the very realistic opinion that it is to be expected to meet good
ores according to the results already communicated but that it is a complete
different question wether it is advisable to invest more capital in this project or
not. He foresaw large difficulties arising out of the long distance to the project,

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the difficulties with food, the adverse climate for German miners and the
resulting illnesses and death cases to be expected. He advised to stay away
from further work, especially because it was completely unknown, how and with
how much effort black workers could be trained in and used for performing
adequate mining work. For the opening phase of the mine without returns one
had to expect for several years additional high investments, due to the political
situation attacks of other European powers or their local allies had to be
reckoned with in addition, this resulting in an additional cost factor for the
necesary defence expenses (22). Consequently Friederich I. turned down the
request for further capital for this mining project.

A last report about the mining activities was written in December 1698 (22):

"Most of the time the miners worked at different places, but so far without
success. Five of them are dead, only the officials Dannies, Heytz and the
Administrator are still alive. At present they work at a new place in the valley,
whether something can be found there time must tell."

6. Fall of the Trading Posts of the Brandenburg-Prussians

In the following times the trading business was permanently declining, caused
mainly by two reasons:
First, in the year 1699 war to determine supremacy broke out between the
ascending Ashantis and the Denkyeras, which closed all mining activities in
Wassaw, Aowin, Sefwi and Egwira. Only small quantities of gold might have
reached Gross-Friedrichsburg, in 1699 already the minting of Gold-Guineas had
ceased (21).

Secondly, the supply of the trading posts with merchandise, food supplies and
personnell became more and more difficult due to the French-Spanish war from
1701 to 1714. Many ships, including all of the Brandenburg-African Trading
Company were taken away by the French. The garrison on Castle Gross-
Friedrichsburg had to operate for years on their own resources and had been
able only through the help of the local Ahanta to keep the place under control
because they had to employ local personnell for sentry squads and other

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services. After long time in 1709 the ship "Prinz Eugen" reached Gross-
Friedrichsburg for replacement of the remaining staff.

During these trying times John CONNY (Couny, Kony), a merchand prince from
Pokoso, became a decisive power in the area. He set up an army of several
thousand men and had the area of the state Ahanta under his control. Naturally
he came into conflict with the Dutch and the English and attacked their castles
on several occasions, especially Fort Metal Cross at Dixcove nearby. With the
garrison of Gross-Friedrichsburg Conny concluded a mutual defense agreement
and did everything in his powers to enforce the position of the Brandenburg-
Prussians.

In 1713 Friedrich I. died. His successor, Friedrich Wilhelm I. (the "Soldierking")

put the army as the main objective of the state Prussia and redefined the focus
of his policies to increased settlements and economic development within the
State Brandenburg Prussia, moving away from the idea to get colonies
overseas.

He sold the castle and trading forts for 6000 Ducats to the Dutch-West-Indies
Company with an agreement dated 22. Nov. 1717. At this time no
Brandenburger were living at Gross-Friedrichsburg, but John Conny had taken
over the castle with the promise to keep and conserve it for the
Brandenburgers. Therefore the castle became later known as "Conny`s Castle.

When the Dutch came to take over the castle, Conny rebuked them and
defended it until 1724. In that year he had to withdraw in face of a united force
of the Dutch and the English. From 1725 onwards Gross-Friedrichsburg
(renamed Fort Hollandia) remained under control of the Dutch but without much
economic success until the Dutch surrendered the castle to the English in 1872
(when they finally withdrew from the Gold Coast).

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References:

1. Eichmeyer, H.:
Ausbildung von Bergbauingenieuren in Ghana - neue Wege der
partnerschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit -
(Education of Mining Engineers in Ghana - New Strategies of Mutual
Co-operation -)
Zeitschrift der Förderer des Bergbaus und des Hüttenwesens an der
TU Berlin 17, 1983, No. 2, p. 1-4

2. Gosten, A.; Peters, W.:

Der Golderzbergbau in Ghana - Ansaetze fuer Aktivitaeten
(Gold Mining in Ghana - Prospects for Activities)
Erzmetall 38, 1985, No. 5, p. 267 - 272

3. Junner, N.R.:
Gold in the Gold Coast
Ghana Geological Survey Dept., Mem. 4, 1935, (reprint 1973)

4. Astley, T.:
Collection of Voyages and Travels, 1745

5. Ward, W.E.F.:
A History of Ghana
London 1966

6. Fage, J.D.:
An Introduction to the History of West Africa
Cambridge, 1955

7. Daaku, K.Y.:
Trade and Politics on the Gold Coast
Oxford 1970

Seite 16 von 19
8. Brun, S.:
Schiffahrten in etliche newe Laender und Insulen
(Sea Travels in Several New Countries and Insulas)
Basel 1624, reprinted Graz 1969

9. Mueller, W.J.:
Die Africanische auf der Guineischen Gold-Cust gelegene Landschaft
Fetu
(The African Country Fetu Situated on the Gold Coast of Guinea)
Hamburg 1673, reprinted Graz 1968

10. Dapper, O.:

Umbstaendliche und Eigentliche Beschreibung von Africa, Anno 1668
Reprint Stuttgart 1964

11. Terray, E.:

Gold Production, Slave Labour, and State Intervention in Precolonial
Akan Societies
Research in Economic Anthropology, Vol. 5, 1983, p. 95 - 129

12. Arhin, K.:

Succession and Gold Mining at Manso.Nkwanta
Research Review 6, 1970, p. 101-109

13. Skertchley, J.A.:

A Visit to the Gold Fields of Wassaw, West Africa
J. of the Royal Geograph. Soc., Vol. XLVIII, 1878, p. 274-283

14. MacDonald, G.E.O.:

Gold in West Africa
J. of the African Society, London 1901-02, p. 416-430

Seite 17 von 19
15. Holmes, W.F.:
Notes on the Early History of Tarkwa as a Gold Mining District
Gold Coast Review, Vol. 2, 1926

16. Bosman, W.:

A New and Accurate Description of the Coast of Guinea
1698

17. Schueck, R.:

Brandenburg-Preussens Kolonialpolitik unter dem Grossen Kurfuersten
und seinen Nachfolgern
(The Colonial Policies of Brandenburg-Prussia during the Time of the
Emperor Elect and His Successors)
Vol. II: Agreements and Documents
Leipzig 1889

18. Meyer, A.:

Prägungen Brandenburg-Preussens, betreffend dessen Afrikanische
Besitzungen und Aussenhandel
(Coinage of Brandenburg-Prussia in Regard of Her African Possessions
and Overseas Trade(Berlin 1885)

19. Schueck, R.:

Brandenburg-Preussens Kolonialpolitik unter dem Grossen Kurfuersten
und seinen Nachfolgern
(The Colonial Policies of Brandenburg-Prussia during the Time of the
Emperor Elect and His Successors)
Vol. I: Text; Leipzig 1889

20. Von der Groeben, O.F.:

Guineische Reisebeschreibung (Travel Diary of Guinea)
Marienwerder 1694, reprint Berlin 1981

Seite 18 von 19
21. Grosser Generalstab:
Brandenburg-Preussen auf der Westkueste von Afrika 1681-1721
Kriegsgeschichtliche Einzelschriften
(Brandenburg-Prussia on the West Coast of Africa 1681-1721
Monographs of War History)
Berlin 1885

22. Liesegang, C.:

Die Goldgewinnung an der Guineakueste in alter Zeit und die ersten
deutschen Bergleute in der Brandenburg-Preussischen Kolonie Gross-
Friedrichsburg.
(Gold Mining at the Coast of Guinea in Old Times and the First
German Miners in the Colony Gross-Friedrichsburg of the
Brandenburg-Prussians)
Koloniale Rundschau 34, 1943, No. 2, p. 57-72

23. Lange-Kothe, J.:

Deutsche Bergleute in aller Welt
Der Anschnitt, 1954, p. 18/19

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