Colonial Empire Courland
The Colonial Empire Spit is part of the history of the Curonian Spit.
Summary |
History
The creation of the Duchy of Courland in 1561 , follows the Livonian War ( 1558 - 1583 ). The Livonia is devastated and the last Grand Master of the Order of Knights of the Sword , Gotthard Kettler , who became Duke accepts the status of vassal of the Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania , winner of this war and one of the great European powers of the time.
This alliance allows the duchy to grow and to erase the ravages of war. In 1642 , Jacob Kettler became duke, and the duchy was then experiencing its peak around the economic development of metallurgy and shipbuilding (creation of ports Ventspils and Liepaja ) and military. Kettler decides to use its fleet to establish a colonial empire, a sign of power and wealth.
In 1637 , the island of Tobago is busy, but the colonists quickly come into conflict with other settlers Dutch also came to occupy the island. In Africa , the Courland occupy the coastal Gambia to James Island in 1651 and develop the trade with the Caribbean to Tobago.
However, a war between Sweden and Poland ( one thousand six hundred fifty-eight - 1,660 ) prevents the duchy to send more settlers, resulting in the loss of the Gambia ( 1661 ). After the death of Jacob Kettler in 1681 , his successors, and poor spenders, are forced to sell Tobago to Britain to pay off their debts.
Colonies
With its 200,000 inhabitants to 27,226 square kilometers, the Spit is the smallest and least populated of the colonial states of the modern era.
Africa
- Gambia ( 1.65 thousand - 1661 ):
- Bayona Fort on Ile Sainte-Marie (near Banjul )
- Fort Jacob on the Ile Saint-Andre
- Fort Jilifree to Juffureh
Americas
- New Courland ( Tobago , 1638-1689)
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