Courland colonization

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The small wealthy former Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (German: Kurland), a vassal of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, took a modest part in European colonialism, in West Africa and the Caribbean.

1 History
2 Former Courland colonies
3 See also
4 Sources and references

[edit] History

Like the other, far larger German colonising power before the German Empire, Brandenburg becoming Prussia, the future German hegemon, Courland had a European crusading, hence expansionist, past. The colonies were established under Duke Jacob Kettler and were indirect colonies of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. During his reign, the nation established trading relations with all of the major European powers. Kettler established one of the largest merchant fleets in Europe, with its main harbours in Windau (today Ventspils), and Libau (today Liepāja). His fleet took voyages to the West Indies as early as 1637 when the settlers on the ship established the first colony on Tobago. The first colony was a failure, but was refounded in 1639.

In 1651, the Duchy gained a colony in Africa on St. Andrews Island at the Gambia River and established the Jacob Fort there. The Duchy also took other local land including St. Mary Island (modern day Banjul) and Fort Jillifree. His colonies exported sugar, tobacco, coffee, cotton, ginger, indigo, rum, cocoa, tortoise shells, tropical birds and their feathers. The Courlanders retained control of these lands for less than a decade and they were formally ceded to England in 1664.

The colonies were lost when neighbouring nations took advantage of Courland during the Northern Wars, when Duke Jacob was held captive by the Swedish army (1658-60). However, Tobago was returned to Courland, but the duchy abandoned it in 1666. In 1668, a Courland ship attempted to reoccupy Fort Jacob but was driven off by the Dutch. The Courland Monument near Courland Bay commemorates the Duchy's settlements.