Fort Nassau (Guyana)
Encyclopedia
Fort Nassau was the capital of the colony of Berbice
. It was situated approximately 88 kilometres upstream the Berbice River
from New Amsterdam
.
The original fort was burnt by the French when they attacked Berbice in 1712. A new fort was subsequently built, which was burned in 1763 by Berbice governor Van Hoogenheim to prevent it from falling in the hands of revolting slaves
.
In 1733, village which had sprung up around Fort Nassau was named New Amsterdam (Dutch
: Nieuw Amsterdam). The fort and the village were abandoned in 1785 in favour of Fort Sint Andries, situated more downstream, at the confluence of the Canje River
. The new village was again named New Amsterdam
, and is still known by that name in contemporary Guyana.
The remains of Fort Nassau were declared a National Monument by the Guyananese government in 1999. Recently, efforts have been started to preserve the fort.
Berbice
Berbice is a region along the Berbice River in Guyana, which was between 1627 and 1815 a colony of the Netherlands. After having been ceded to the United Kingdom in the latter year, it was merged with Essequibo and Demerara to form the colony of British Guiana in 1831...
. It was situated approximately 88 kilometres upstream the Berbice River
Berbice River
The Berbice River, located in eastern Guyana, rises in the highlands of the Rupununi region. The Berbice flows northward for 370 miles through dense forests to the coastal plain...
from New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam, Guyana
New Amsterdam , located in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, 62 miles from the capital, Georgetown, is one of the largest towns in Guyana. It is located four miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean mouth of the Berbice River, on its eastern bank, immediately south of the Canje River...
.
The original fort was burnt by the French when they attacked Berbice in 1712. A new fort was subsequently built, which was burned in 1763 by Berbice governor Van Hoogenheim to prevent it from falling in the hands of revolting slaves
Berbice Slave Uprising
The Berbice Slave Uprising was a slave revolt in Guyana. It began in February 1763 and lasted into 1764.The uprising began on Plantation Magdalenenberg on the Canje River in Berbice. The slaves rebelled, protesting harsh and inhumane treatment, and took control of the region. As plantation after...
.
In 1733, village which had sprung up around Fort Nassau was named New Amsterdam (Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Nieuw Amsterdam). The fort and the village were abandoned in 1785 in favour of Fort Sint Andries, situated more downstream, at the confluence of the Canje River
Canje River
The Canje River, located in northeastern Guyana, is the main tributary of the Berbice River. It runs roughly parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coast....
. The new village was again named New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam, Guyana
New Amsterdam , located in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, 62 miles from the capital, Georgetown, is one of the largest towns in Guyana. It is located four miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean mouth of the Berbice River, on its eastern bank, immediately south of the Canje River...
, and is still known by that name in contemporary Guyana.
The remains of Fort Nassau were declared a National Monument by the Guyananese government in 1999. Recently, efforts have been started to preserve the fort.