Hendrik Carloff
Encyclopedia
Gold Coast
-Colonization:*The Gold Coast in west Africa, which was made up of the following colonies:**Gold Coast , British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa**Brandenburger Gold Coast, former German colony...
. After a law suit in which he witnessed he threw himself on the slave trade. In the years 1676 and 1677 he was the Governor of Tobago.
Life
There is not much known about the youth of the Hendrik Carloff. He was either born in RostockRostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, the Swedish/Polish Pillau or Suomen as he stated himself, but did not mention a town. In 1637 he was employed by the Dutch West India Company in Dutch Brazil
Dutch Brazil
Dutch Brazil, also known as New Holland, was the northern portion of Brazil, ruled by the Dutch during the Dutch colonization of the Americas between 1630 and 1654...
, first as a soldier and then as a writer. Late May 1641 John Maurice of Nassau-Siegen sent an expedition of 21 ships with 2145 soldiers to Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
. They arrived in August and October in Sao Tomé
São Tomé
-Transport:São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries.-Climate:São Tomé features a tropical wet and dry climate with a relatively lengthy wet season and a short dry season. The wet season runs from October through May while the...
was conquered, so the Portuguese reign in Africa was temporarily broken. From 1645-1649 he served at Fort Elmina and Fort Nassau (Ghana)
Fort Nassau (Ghana)
Fort Nassau was the first Dutch established fort on the Dutch Gold Coast, near Moree, Ghana. A trading post was established between 1595 and 1600, which was attacked and burned to the ground by the Portuguese in 1610. In 1612 a reinforced fort was built, which due to the unfamiliarity of the Dutch...
in Accra. In 1648 he managed to pry a commitment from the chief of the Efutu on the purchase of land. With a feigned illness Carloff went back to Europe in the hope someone might be interested in his plan.
After twelve years with the WIC he offered his service to Louis de Geer
Louis De Geer
Louis De Geer may refer to:People:*Louis De Geer , industrial entrepreneur of Walloon origin*Louis De Geer , industrial entrepreneur*Louis Gerhard De Geer , baron, Prime Minister of Sweden 1876–80...
who shortly afterwards founded the pseudo Swedish Africa Company in Hamburg. He was hired for three years as commander and director at a salary of one hundred guilders and an ounce of gold per month to cover the charges. He was embarking on the Elbe and thence sailed to Africa. He arrived at the Gold Coast on April 22. Carloff signed a contract for the purchase of land with the chief of Efutu. There was a conflict with the Company of Merchants Trading to Guinea negotiating with Henniqua, a cousin of King of the Fetu about a British trading post. May 28, 1650 was a memorable event. Both Sweden and the British signed a treaty with the chief. The English obtained for only half a year the right to trade.
In 1650 Carloff occupied Butre, Annemabo in 1651 and Orsou in 1652. On his return in September 1652 Carloff and his ship Christina were seized and taken to Plymouth. His ship was transporting about twenty bags of gold and 6,500 elephant teeth
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
. The gold rings, necklaces and bracelets were taken to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. Meanwhile his men started building Fort Carolusborg
Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle is a fortification in Ghana built by Swedish traders. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 for the Swedish Africa Company and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone....
and the conquest of Tacorary
Sekondi-Takoradi
Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 , comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi, is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. It is Ghana's fourth largest city and an industrial and commercial center. The chief industries are timber, plywood, shipbuilding and railroad repair and...
in 1653. In Sweden Carloff was promoted to general and knighted on May 3, 1654 under the name Carloffer. It seems he occupied Jumore (Fort Apollonia) and Cabo in 1655. In 1656 Fort Batenstein
Fort Batenstein
Fort Batenstein was the second trading post established by the Dutch on their Gold Coast between 1595 and 1600, after Fort Nassau was founded in Mouri around the same time. It was situated near Butre . In 1649, the trading post was upgraded into a fort...
was recaptured by the Dutch. Johann Philipp von Krusenstjerna (1626–1659) took over the post of governor. Carloff left annoyed the colony and deserted to Denmark on March 27, 1657.