Portuguese Gold Coast

Na de **Portuguese Gold Coast** be a Portuguese colony for de West African Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) along de Gulf of Guinea.

From dema seat of power for de fortress of São Jorge da Mina (na dem establish insyd 1482 wey e dey locate insyd modern Elmina), na de Portuguese command a vast internal slave trade, wey dey create a slave network wey go expand after de end of Portuguese colonialism insyd de region. Na de primary export of de colony be gold, wich na dem obtain thru barter plus de local population. Na Portuguese presence along de Gold Coast increase seamanship den trade insyd de Gulf, dem introduce American crops (such as maize den cassava) into de African agricultural landscape, wey e make Portuguese an enduring language of trade insyd de area.

Na dem officially incorporate de colony into Dutch territory insyd 1642.
## History

### Portuguese arrival for de Gold Coast

Insyd 1471, na Portuguese explorers encounter fishing villages rich plus ivory den gold along de Atlantic coast of modern-day Ghana, wich de Portuguese call de Gold Coast. Na de prospect of trade insyd de Gold Coast region help spur de construction of de fortress **São Jorge da Mina** (St. George of de Mine) insyd 1482, wich soon cam be known as A Mina Castle (Portuguese "*a mina*" = "de mine"). Na dem erect de castle near a populated African town wich na dem sanso call A Mina, wich na de Dutch go latter adapt to Elmina.

Na de oda major Portuguese settlements for de Gold Coast include de following:

* Fort **Santo António de Axim** (St. Anthony of Axim), modern Axim: dem establish 1515
* Fort **São Francisco Xavier** (St. Francis Xavier), modern Osu, a district of Accra: dem establish c.1557—c.1578
* Fort **São Sebastião** (St. Sebastian), modern Shama: dem establish 1558

Na de Portuguese decision make dem construct de fortress for Elmina be influenced by a pre-established trade system between native Elminans den Portuguese merchants insyd de area. A natural peninsula, wey be enclosed by de Atlantic den de Benya river, na dem choose as de site of construction for Elmina Castle make e maximize defensibility. Na dem appoint a nobleman dem name Diogo de Azambuja by de Portuguese king, John II, make he construct de coastal fortress. Make dem maintain peace plus de native peoples of Elmina, na Azambuja enter into negotiations plus de native leader Caramansa over dema plans make dem construct Elmina Castle. Insyd a discussion wey be facilitated by a Portuguese merchant wey be aided by a native translator, na Caramansa react skeptically to de proposition, as chaw African homes go be destroyed for construction for de castle make e begin. After na de Portuguese threaten violence, Caramansa meet Portuguese demands. However, na he prohibit de use of sacred local rock, e be known to de native Elminans as Kokobo, wey he forbid de Portuguese from make dem access de natives dema freshwater supply. Portuguese settlers, wey dey defy Caramansa ein demands, mine Kokobo rock for construction purposes. As dem do dat e upset de local population, yet na dem avoid conflict after de Portuguese bestow gifts upon de native Elminans. Once dem construct am, na Elmina Castle represent de first major European construction insyd sub-Saharn Africa wey ebe currently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.So say dem go establish good trade relationships plus neighboring African nations, na de Portuguese frequently extend gifts to de leaders of interior states, wey dey include to de Eguafo state to wich na Elmina belong. Na dema strategy along de coast, however, entail dem dey use force against Africans make dem prevent dem from trading plus European competitors. Na Portuguese violence along de coast sour dema relations plus neighboring African states; as such, na de Portuguese lack sufficient manpower make dem enforce dema rule across de entire Gulf of Guinea. Na Portuguese influence along de Gold Coast extend from an area near modern-day New Town, Ghana, insyd de west to de historic settlement of Adda (near modern-day Denu, Ghana) insyd de east. Oda European nations wey dey conduct trade insyd de Gulf, wey dey include de English den Dutch, offer lower-priced commodities dan de Portuguese, wey dey drive chaw Africans make dem accept de risk of Portuguese retaliation so say make dem yield a larger profit from trade.

### Donatary captains
Na Donatary captain (donatário, anaa Captain-major) be a designation wey be given by de Portuguese Crown to an official dem task plus make he dey oversee colonial territory. De following be a list of de known donatary captaincies insyd São Jorge da Mina:

## Economy

Na de Portuguese import slaves to Elmina thru out de sixteenth century, wey dem dey use dem primarily make dem transport goods to den from interior African states, buh na dem sanso make dem exchange dem plus local Elminans for gold. Na de main supply of Gold Coast slaves cam from de trade route between Benin den Elmina, wich sanso supply de Portuguese plus important commodities such as cotton, cloth, den beads. Na de slave trade later expand make e encompass de Niger River delta den de island of São Tome. Na dem use all cloth, linens, beads, copper den brass pots, pans, bracelets, den slaves as bartering tools make dem obtain gold from de native merchants of Elmina. Na Elmina ein gold originate from de Asante den Denkyira regions of modern-day Ghana wey e cam turn de dominant export from de colony along plus, to a lesser extent, ivory. Additionally, na dr inflow of foreign crops into de Gold Coast region globalize de region ein agricultural practices den output, wey dey introduce sugar, maize, guava, sweet potatoes, coconut, yams, den cassava to de African agricultural landscape. Further, na de dominance of de Portuguese trade route along de Gulf Coast insyd de sixteenth century lead to Portuguese cam turn de principal language of exchange insyd de Gulf of Guinea. Na de language endure insyd de area despite de presence of oda European powers insyd de Gulf after na dem cede de colony insyd 1642.
## Legacy

Na de internal African slave trade wey be established by de Portuguese lay de groundwork give de vast networks of human trafficking wey go flourish insyd de region during de centuries wey go cam, as de Dutch den, later, de British capitalize on pre-established trade routes during de Atlantic slave trade. Further, na de shipping might of de Portuguese encourage new, long-distance river trading amidst West African states, den de volume of trade along de Gulf of Guinea increase as a result of Portuguese presence. Boatbuilding cam turn an important craft wey accompany an increase insyd coastal trade den seamanship insyd de Gulf. After generations of intimate contact plus local African dialects, na Portuguese creole emerge as an important language of trade along de Gulf Coast, second only to Portuguese einself. Further, na interbreeding between Portuguese den Africans lead to a sizable mixed-race population along de Gold Coast.

Na Urbanization occur around Elmina, wey be spurred partly by Portuguese attempts make dem establish a municipality insyd de area. Na native governors, dem know as braffos, dem give authority by de Portuguese, wey na migration from de interior to coastal regions increase.  De cultivation of maize den cassava, dem first introduce to de region by de Portuguese thru trans-Atlantic trade, flourish insyd de Gold Coast wey dem cam turn dietary staples thru out West Africa. Further, na Portuguese contact den activity along de Gold Coast integrate de region into de global economy. Na de larger trade volume insyd de region centralize de small, distinct states wey na dem exist prior to Portuguese contact into larger political entities. Na de advent of global trade insyd de Gold Coast sanso consolidate commercial activity insyd coastal cities, wich na e connect inland African communities plus European trade.

## References


## External links

*WorldStatesmen.org:  Portuguese Gold Coast