Elmina - History

History

In 1478 (during the War of the Castilian Succession), nearby the Elmina waters, was fought a large battle between a Castilian armada of 35 caravels and a Portuguese fleet for the hegemony of the Guinea trade (gold, slaves, ivory and black pepper). The war ended both with a Portuguese naval victory and the official recognition by the Catholic Monarchs of the Portuguese sovereignty over most of the African territories in dispute (Treaty of Alcáçovas, 1479). This was the first colonial war among European powers. Many more would come.

The town grew around São Jorge da Mina Castle, built by the Portuguese Diogo de Azambuja in 1482 on the site of a town or village called Amankwakurom or Amankwa, after that war. It was Portugal's West African headquarters for trade and exploitation of African wealth. The original Portuguese interest was gold but this later expanded to include tens of thousands of slaves channeled through the trading post of Elmina. The location of Elmina made it a significant site for reprovisioning ships headed south towards the Cape of Good Hope on their way to India. The Dutch West India Company captured it in 1637; in subsequent centuries it was mostly used for the slave trade. The British attacked the town in 1782, but it remained in Dutch hands until 1872, when the Dutch Gold Coast was sold to the British.

Elmina is also home to Fort Coenraadsburg on St. Jago Hill, built by the Portuguese in 1555 under the name Forte de São Tiago, it was used for commerce. In 1637 it was conquered and renamed by the Dutch, after the conquest of Elmina's main castle. Today, Elmina's main industry is fishing.