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Small Company Trade and the Gold Coast: The Swedish Africa Company 1650-1663*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2010

György Nováky
György Nováky
Affiliation:
University of Uppsala
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Extract

The Swedish Africa Company (Svenska Afrikakompaniet, SAK) was a chartered trading company which conducted a limited and short-lived trade in the middle of the seventeenth century. Its political and economic significance for Sweden itself was negligible, and in West Africa the Company was one of the smallest and shortest lived of trading companies. At first glance, the SAK appears to be merely a historical curiosity and therefore outside the interest of scientific research. Yet closer examination reveals that the Company was actually quite profitable. An understanding of how t i achieved its success will surely add to our knowledge about European trade in West Africa.

Type
Articles
Information
Itinerario , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 57 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © Research Institute for History, Leiden University 1992

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References

Notes

1 The only major study is Granlund, V., ‘En svensk koloni i Afrika eller Svenska Afrika Kompaniets Historia’, Hisloiiskl Bibliotek IV (1870). Some comments about the company have also been made byGoogle ScholarDahlgren, E. W., Louis de Geer 1587–1652 II (Uppsala 1923)Google Scholar.

2 En Kort Relation om Svenska Afrikanska Compagniets inrällande och förlopp intill 1663, printed in Loenbom, S. S., Historiska Märkvaräigheter til uplysning af Svenska Häfder 1 (1767)Google Scholar.

3 Ratelband, K. ed., Vijf Dagregisters van hel Kasleel SaoJorge da Mina (Elmina) aan de. Goiidkusl 1645–1647. Werken uitgegeven door de Linschoten-vereeniging 50 (1953) xlvi–xlviii.Google ScholarDaaku, K. Y., Trade and Politirs on the Gold Coast (London 1970) 107–108Google Scholar.

4 The figure is based on accounts for ten of the eighteen ships and represents the value of goods loaded in Stade.

5 Ratelband, ed., Vijf Dagregisters, xcvii–cix.Google ScholarSundström, L., The Trade of Guinea (Lund 1965) passim. Note however Marion Johnson's critique of Sundström's dissertation:Google Scholar‘Pre-Colonial Trade’ Journal of African History 17, 2 (1976) 197–199Google Scholar.

6 The opposite has been suggested by Feldbaek, O. and Justesen, O., Kolonierne; Asien og Afrika, i Politikens Dan marks Historie (Copenhagen 1980) 300–314. In the 1630s there was however a discussion between the Councillor Axel Oxenstierna and Samuel Blommaert to open a market for Swedish copper in Africa.Google ScholarKernkamp, G. W., ‘Zweedsche archivalia’, Bijdragen en mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap 29 (1908)Google Scholar.

7 Settlement of the accounts of the ship Carolus, 26 June 1651, Riksarkivet, Stockholm (hereafter RAS), Lovsta Arkivet (hereafter LA), vol. 82. Journael gehouden bij mij Louis Dammert (hereafter Dammert), Algemeen Rijksarchief, 's-Gravenhage (hereafter ARA) Collection Aanwinsten 1898 XXII, 11 Oct. 1652, 16 May 1652 and 8 Sept. 1655.

8 Contract tusschen SAK en H. Mathijs el al. Uppsala University Libraiy (hereafter UUB) Nordinska Samlingen (hereafter N) 430. This agreement is partly reprinted in Kernkamp, G. W., ‘Een contract tot slavenhandel van 1657’, Bijdragen en meededelingen van het Historisch Genootschap 26 (1908).Google ScholarNováky, G., Sockersjudare och kompanihandel; motsättningen mellan kapitalislisk produktion och feodalhandel under 1600-talet. Opuscula Historica Upsalien-sia 4 (1989) 25–29Google Scholar.

9 See Lindegren, J., ‘The Swedish Military State 1650–1720’, Scandinavian Journal of History 10: 4 (1986) 305–336CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

10 This assumption is made on available information about gold exports from the Gold Coast. Wätjen, H., ‘Zur Geschichte des Tauschenhandels an der Goldkuste um die Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts’, Forschung und Versuche zur Geschichte des Mittelallers und der Neuzeit. Festschrift Dietrich Schäfer (Jena 1915) 551–556.Google ScholarGarrard, T. F., Akan weights and the gold trade (London 1980) 156–157. New figures have however been presented by Ernst van den Boogaarl in a forthcoming article ‘De handel van westelijk Afrika met de Atlantische Wereld, 1600–1690. Schattingen van ontwikkeling in samenstelling en waarde’Google Scholar.

11 Resolutieboek voor de regeringhe wegens de gen. geoctroyeerde W I Comp., Minutes 16 Oct. 1657. Koninklijk Instiluut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, Leiden (hereafter KITLV) H68.

12 Chaudhuri, K. N., The Trading World of Asia and the English East India Company 1660–1760 (Cambridge 1978) 19, 111–113.Google ScholarSteensgaard, N., ‘Dutch East India Company as an institutional innovation’ in: Aymard, M. ed., Dutch Capitalism and World Capitalism (Cambridge 1982) 251–253. See alsoGoogle ScholarWatson, I. B., ‘Fortifications, Force and English Trade in India’, Past and Present 88 (1980) passimGoogle Scholar.

13 Letter from Carlof to Fredrik III of Denmark, 27 May 1657, Rigsarkivet Köbenhavn (hereafter RAK) Tyske Kancelli inf. afd. (TKIA) A IX Diverse sager 171. Dantzig, A. van, Les Hollandnis sur la Cote de Guinée à V'époque de I'essor de l'Ashanti el du Dahomey 1680–1740 (Paris 1980) 38 n., assumes that Carlof could have been of Polish originGoogle Scholar.

14 Letter from Carlof to Colbert, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Manuscrits, Collection Morel de Thoisy 52, fol. 263ff. I am grateful to Adam Jones, who provided this source. For WIC's organization see Postma, J. M., The Dutch in the Atlantic Slave Trade 1600–1815 (Cambridge 1990) £61–65CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

15 Bewijs van den Saaken van Anthony Coroquo, ARA, Ned. Bezittingen op d e Kust van Guinea (hereafter NBKG) nr. 222, fol. 163. Bewijs van den persoon van Mena, ARA NBKG nr. 222, fol. 264. Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 108Google Scholar.

16 Contract gedaan tussen Carlofen Laments de Geer, 12Oct. 1649, Gemeente Archief Amsterdam (hereafter GAA) Notarieel Archief (hereafter NA) Not. Jacob van Zwieten, inv. nr. 876, fol. 341.

17 Agreement between Carlof and Breweda, 29 May 1650, ARA, Staten Generaal (hereafter SG) 12564–56.

18 Caboceros can be defined as the nobility or the elite. The Danish Company priest Wilhelm Miiller, who did not arrive on the Gold Coast till 1662, states however that Ahenakwa was during this time brafu an d Acroson day (treasurer). Muller, W. J., Die. Africanische auf der Guineischen Gold-Cust gelegene Landsschafft Fetu (Hamburg 1676) 14–15, 67–69, 109–115. The relevant parts of this description are translated into English inGoogle ScholarJones, Adam, German Sourcesfor West African History 1599–1669. Studien zur Kulturkunde 66 (Wiesbaden 1983). On different possible meanings of th e term brafu seeGoogle ScholarMcCaskie, T. C., ‘Nananom Mpow of Mankessim: An Essay in Fante History’ in: Henige, D. and McCaskie, T. C. eds., West African Economic and Social History: Studies in Memory of Marion Johnson (Madison 1990) 133–150, esp. 136–138Google Scholar.

19 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 107–112Google Scholar.

20 Verclaaringh van Breweda en Acrosan, 28 June 1650, RAS LA 82.

21 Porter, R., ‘The Crispe Family and the African Trade in the 17th Century’, Journal of African History 1:9 (1968) passimGoogle Scholar.

22 Carlofs accounts, 7 Feb. 1651. (Carlofs accounts) Misc. accounts of the SAK 1649–54. RA LA 82. In Carlofs accounts several payments to soldiers for different tasks are to be found.

23 KITLV H65a fol. 433ff. Missive van Valckenburg naarde Heeren XIX, March 1658, KITLV 65b.

24 The unit engels is here used as standard. In the accounts they were given in marks, ounce and engels. 1 mark = 8 ounce = 128 engels.

25 Settlement of the accounts of the ship Carolus and Norrköping, 27 Dec. 1651, RAS, Sjoholms arkivet (hereafter SA) III, vol. 6. Letter from I. Lagerfeldt et al. to L. Wouters(?), 29 Nov. 1656, UUB N430. Dammert, Sept. 1652, 19 Oct. 1653 and 28 Oct. 1653.

26 Carlofs accounts. Opsatt över Compagniets medlen 25 June 1658, RAS, Handel och sjofart (H&S) vol. 42. SAK Misc. accounts, 1654, RAS LA 82.

27 Agreement between J. van Heusden and Samuel Smitt, 15 Apr. 1659, ARA SG 12571–36.

28 Sigmundjeunisch's report on the events in Butri, 28 Aug. 1656. ARA Oude West Indische Compagnie (hereafter WIC) vol. 7. Report by Valckenburg to Heeren XIX, 1 Jan. 1657, ARA SG 12571–381. Bilaga till Krusenstiernas memorial, 24 June 1658, printed in Granlund, ‘En svensk’ 412–413. Agreement between J. van Heusden and Samuel Smitt, 15 Apr. 1659, ARASG 12571–36.

29 Letter from Liitkens to Wouters, 13 Oct. 1661. Relation i revisionssaken mellan Lütkens och SAK, 1669. RAS H&S vol. 43. Carlofs accounts. In 1785 the Dutch seem to have given their company slaves a monthly allowance of one and a half engels. Postma, The Dutch, 72.

30 The term ‘lease’, though modern, is here used to describe a relationship that involved recurrent payments of the user to the possessor or owner of the slaves. See Gemery, H. A. and Hogendorn, J. S., ‘The Atlantic Slave Trade: a Tentative Economic Model’, Journal of African History 15 (1974)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

31 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 103, 109, 118–120.Google ScholarHenige, D., ‘John Cabes of Komenda. An Early African Entrepreneur and State Builder’, Journal of African History 18 (1977) 1–10.Google ScholarFage, J. D., ‘Slaves and Society in Western Africa c. 1445-c. 1700’, Journal of African History 21 (1980) 310Google Scholar.

32 A. Hogenhoek et al., 17 July 1654, 20 July 1654, ARA WIC 12. Dammert, 14 July 1654, 19 July 1654. Bewijs van den Sunken van Anthony Coroquo, ARA NBKG 222, fol. 263.

33 Bewijs van den persoon van Mena, ARA NBKG 222, fol. 264.

34 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 109Google Scholar.

35 Kea, , Settlements. Trade and Politics in the 17th Century Cold Coast (Baltimore 1982) 214–215Google Scholar.

36 Letter from Tonnies Voss to anonymous, 1/11 Dec. 1662, UU.B N430 Vol. III.

37 Krusenstiernas memorial, 24 June 1658, RAS H&S vol. 42.

38 Verclaaring xmn Jacob Penkier, 29June 1650, RA IA. Gravamina van de Engelsche Guineische Compagnie (hereafter Gravamina) 1652, UUB N 430, f. 301–305.

39 Missive van A. Cock en J. Valckenburg, 26 June 1650. Missive van A. Cock, 13 Oct. 1650. Geheime missive van A. Cock, 13 Oct. 1650, ARA SG 12571–36. Protest van J. Valckenlnugh, 28 June 1650, ARA WIC 7. Contra protest van Carloff 29 June 1650, ARA WIC 131, fol. 517f.

40 Dammert, 2 June 1652, 4 June 1652.

41 J. P. von Krusenstierna to J. van Valckenburg, 6 Dec. 1656, ARA WIC 7.

42 Sigmund Jeunisch to Valckenburg, 28 Aug. 1656, ARA WIC 7.

43 Verclaaring van A. Hoegenhoek, 17 July 1654 (two versions) and 20 July 1654. ARA WIC 12. Dammert, 19 July 1654.

44 Dammert, 10 July 1654, 13 July 1654, 14 July 1654. Atteslie van Coegelenberg en Dyck, 20 July 1654. Extract from Ruychavers journal, 13 July 1654, ARA WIC 1311.

45 Dammert, 6 June 1655.

46 Alteslie van Eduard Man, 15 May 1656, ARA NBKG 222, fol. 259. Resolutieboek, 22 Aug. 1656, K1T1.VH68.

47 Dammert, 11 May 1654.

48 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 77.Google ScholarKea, , Settlements, 82Google Scholar.

49 Anonymous Account Book (SAK) 1654, Vadstena Landsarkiv (hereafter VLA), Leufsta-bruks arkiv (hereafter IA) nr. 62a.

50 Krusenstiernas memorial RA H&S vol. 42. Granlund, ‘En svensk’, 41–43.

51 Lagerfelt, Pötter och Kramer till meddirektörerna, 29 Nov. 1656, UUBN430, f. 308. Krusenstierna t o Valckenburg, 6 Sept. 1656, ARA WIC 7. Granlund, ‘En svensk’, 412–413.

52 Granlund, ‘En svensk’, 412–413.

53 Gravamina, UUB N430, f. 301–305. Porter, ‘The Crispe Family’, passim.

54 Feinberg, H. M., ‘There was an Elmina Note but.…’, International Journal of African Studies 9 (1976) 618–630.Google ScholarKea, , Settlements, 150,Google Scholar treats the payments as revenues.

55 Carlofs accounts, and Accounts in Cabo Corso, April 1652, Misc. account s SAK, RAS LA vol. 82.

56 This is quite far from the 27,000 Riksdaler that Kea assumes that the SAK paid in 1650–51. Kea is here a victim of a double error. Firstly he interprets Granlund wrongly; what Granlund states is that this sum was paid in 1661, when a reestablishment of the Company was made. But even Granlund is wrong. Granlund, ‘En svensk’, 346. The sum that is mentioned in the sources is 2,700 Riksdaler (6,750 guilders). This is the sum that Lucas Lutkens later claimed t o have paid to Acrosan for retaking the fort. Letter from Lutkens o t Liebert Wouters, 13 Oct. 1661. Relation i revisionssaken mellan Liitkens och SAK, 1669. RAS H&S vol. 43.

57 Mancebos, ‘youth’ or ‘young men’. Bosnian, W., Nauwkeurige beschryving van de Guinese Coud-, Tand-, en Slave-kust (Utrecht 1704) 155.Google ScholarJones, , German Sources, 187 n. 206Google Scholar.

58 Accounts in Cabo Corso, April 1652, Misc. accounts SAK, RAS IA vol. 82.

59 Missive van A. Cock en J. Valckenburg, 26 June 1650. See also note 44.

60 For ‘akanists’ see Dantzig, A. van, ‘Th e Akanists: A West African Hansa’ in: Henige and McCaskie eds., West African Economic, and Social History, 205–216Google Scholar.

61 Kea, , Settlements, 248–249Google Scholar.

62 Accort lusschen Ruijchaver en de. Caboceros van Axem, 17 Feb. 1642, KITLV H69.

63 Kea, , Settlements, 250Google Scholar.

64 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 91.Google ScholarDantzig, Van, ‘The Akanists’, 210–211Google Scholar.

65 Gravamina, UUB N430, f. 301–305. Dammert, 19 Sept. 1652, 18 May 1653.

66 Verclaaring van Eduard Man el al., 25 mars 1656, ARA SG 12571–381.

67 The term commonwealth is here used to characterize the loose alliance between a number of coastal polities. Bosnian, , Nauwkeurige, 3–5, used the term gemeenebesl, which in the English edition has been translated to ‘commonwealth’Google Scholar.

68 Attestie van Eduard Man, 15 May 1656, ARA NBKG 222, fol. 259.

69 Valckenburg to Krusenstierna, 5 Sept. 1656, ARA WIC 7. Valckenburg to Heeren XIX, 1 Jan. 1657. Agreement between Poco Bodij brafu and WIC, lOJan. 1657, ARA SG 12571–381.

70 Garrard, T. F., Akan Weights and the Cold Trade (London 1980) 167Google Scholar.

71 Letter from J. Pötter to I. Lagerfelt, 26 June 1658, RAS H&S vol. 42.

72 Krusensliemas memorial, 26 June 1658. Verclaaring van de SAK comijsen, Forsman, Noorden, Tijsleen Wendelin, 14 June 1658. RAS H&S vol. 42.

73 Resolulieboek, 16 Oct. 1657 and 22 Oct. 1657, K1TLV H68.

74 Müller, , Die Africanische, 109–111.Google ScholarDaaku, , Trade and Politics, 107Google Scholar.

75 K1TLV H65a, fol. 413f.

76 Feldbaek and Justesen, ‘Koloniema’, 313–314.

77 Letter from Schmidt (Smitt) to Carlof, 1/11 May 1658, DRA TKIA A IX 171.

78 Letter from Carlof to Valckenburg, 15 Feb. 1658. Letter from Carlof to Eduard Man, 27 Jan. 1659, ARA SG 12571–381.

79 Letter from Carlof to Smitt, 12 March 1659, ARA SG 12571–381.

80 Verclaaring van comisen en onder-comisen, April 1659, ARA SG 12571–381. See also Jones, , German Sources, 144 n. 32Google Scholar.

81 Agreement between Acrosan and Joost Cramer, 20 Dec. 1659, DRA TKIA A IX 171.

82 Letter from Acrosan to SAK, 29 May 1659, ARA SG 12571–381.

83 Agreement between Acrosan and Joost Cramer, 20 Dec. 1659, DRA TKIA A IX 171.

84 Kea, , Settlements, 115–116. A Court of Committees, 25 July 1660, inGoogle ScholarSainsbury, E. ed., Court Minutes of the East India Company III (1655–1659)Google Scholar.

85 Krusenstiernas memorial, RAS H&S vol. 42. Granlund, ‘En svensk’, 412–413. Th e value of all assets can be estimated at 605,000 guilders. There is a possibility that these assets were exaggerated in order to receive more compensation from the Danes. However, the value of the assets does not dramatically differ from a similar evaluation made in 1654.

86 Letter from I. Lagerfelt and H. de Moucheron to Liebert Wouters, 8 Oct. 1660, RAS H&S vol. 44. My translation.

87 Agreement between Caboceros of Cabo Corso and Tönnies Voss, 14 Jan. 1661, ARA SG 12572–381.

88 Agreement between Caboceros of Cabo Corso and Tönnies Voss, 14Jan. 1661. letter/mm Voss to Liebert Wouters, 18/28 Jan. 1661, ARA SG 12572–381.

89 Instruction to Hans Neumann, 14 Oct. 1660, ARA SG 12571–381.

90 Müller, , Die Africanische, 109–110Google Scholar.

91 Jones, , German Sources, 135 n. 7Google Scholar.

92 Letter from Vosss to anonymous, 1/11 Dec. 1662; Letter from Voss to anonymous, 2/12 Dec. 1662, UUB E437 vol. III. There are two extracts from Voss's letters that bear the later date. The content s reveal, however, that some time had passed between the writing of these two letters.

93 Kea, , Settlements, 232Google Scholar.

94 I did not find any other references to the person Anonema. The Dutch director-general Jasper van Haussen mentioned, however, in 1661 a cabocero by the name of Amene who was supposed to have the responsibility of Cabo Corso; Letter from Heussen to Heeren XIX, 31 Oct. 1661, ARA SG 12571–381.

95 Letter from Voss to anonymous, 1/11 Dec. 1662, UUB E437 vol. III.

96 Letter from Voss to anonymous, 2/12 Dec. 1662, UUB E437 vol. III.

97 Ick kan hett Casteel well houden, hoe wel Jan Claesen doet is, ick hebbe de futuse oponse syde'; Letter from Voss to anonymous, 2/12 Dec. 1662 (version two); UUB E437 vol. III.

98 Letter from Tönnies Voss to Lucas Lütkens, 28 Sept. 1668, RA H&S vol. 42. En kort relation. Müller, , Die Africanische, 13–15.Google ScholarJones, , German Sources, 262–264Google Scholar.

99 Müller, , Die Afriainische, 110–114.Google ScholarKea, , Settlements, 232Google Scholar.

100 Daaku, , Trade and Politics, 60.Google Scholar See also Kea, , Settlements, 320Google Scholar.