12/7/23, 11:56 PM Battle of Elmina (1625) - Wikipedia

Battle of Elmina (1625)

The Battle of Elmina was a military engagement
Battle of Elmina
of the Dutch-Portuguese War, fought near the castle
of São Jorge da Mina (Elmina Castle)[3][7] in the Part of the Dutch-Portuguese War
Portuguese Gold Coast in 1625. It was fought
between 1,200 soldiers of the Dutch West India
Company (transported by a fleet of 15 ships) who
landed and assaulted the Portuguese garrison of the
castle. The garrison was reinforced by 200 African
allies put in service of the governor Sottomayor by
the local caciques.[8]

The Dutch opened the battle by bombarding the

castle. Then the Dutch began to march to the castle,
but they were ambushed by the Portuguese and their
African allies from hidden positions and were almost
totally massacred. Among the dead were the View of Elmina, 1668.
commander-in-chief and all his officers.[5] The Date 25 October 1625
Portuguese had very few casualties and took 15 flags, Location Elmina, Portuguese Gold Coast
15 drums, and more than 1,000 muskets, pikes,
(present-day Ghana)
pistols, and dresses.
Result Portuguese victory [1][2][3]
The Dutch ships fired over 2,000 cannonballs at the
Belligerents
castle before they withdrew.
Dutch West India Portugal
Company
See also
Commanders and leaders
Battle of Elmina (1637) Jan Dircksz Lam †[4] Fernando de
History of Elmina Sottomayor [5]
Strength
References 1,200 soldiers [6]
56 Portuguese[1][5]
15 ships [5] 200 African allies
1. Glete, p. 174
2. Gann, Duignan, p. 309 Casualties and losses
3. Dann, Seaton, p.34 All killed except 45 [5] 27 killed
4. Postma, Enthovenp.89
5. Taylor, p.108
6. Dei-Anang, p.21
7. Rodriguez, p.236
8. Boxer, p.86

Bibliography
Glete, Jan, Warfare at Sea, 1500-1650: maritime conflicts and the transformation of Europe
(2000).
Rodriguez, Junius P., The Historical Encyclopedia of World Slavery, Volume 1 (1997).
Boxer, C. R., Fidalgos in the Far East (1948).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Elmina_(1625) 1/2
12/7/23, 11:56 PM Battle of Elmina (1625) - Wikipedia

Dei-Anang, Michael, Ghana Resurgent (1964).

Taylor, Gerard, Capoeira: the Jogo de Angola from Luanda to cyberspace, Volume 1 (2005).
Graham Dann, A. V. Seatton, Slavery, Contested Heritage, and Thanatourism (2001).
Johannes Postma, V. Enthoven, Riches from Atlantic Commerce: Dutch transatlantic trade and
shipping, 1585-1817 (2003).
Lewis H. Gann, Peter Duignan, Africa and the World: an introduction to the history of sub-
Saharan Africa (1999).

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