Key Facts
- Date of landing
- 24 July 1637
- Dutch force size
- 1,300 men total; 800 soldiers landed
- Ships deployed
- 9
- Bombardment duration
- At least 2 days
- Dutch commander
- Colonel Hans Coine
Strategic Narrative Overview
Colonel Hans Coine landed 800 soldiers near Cape Coast on 24 July 1637 and advanced toward Fort Elmina. A Portuguese-allied force of roughly 1,000 natives blocked the commanding Hill of St. Jago; an initial Dutch assault was repulsed with heavy losses, but a flanking attack routed the allies. Two Portuguese counterattacks failed. Coine crossed a river to position artillery and bombarded the fort's redoubt for two days before the Portuguese signaled a chamade and sought surrender terms.
01 / The Origins
During the broader Dutch-Portuguese War, the Dutch West India Company sought to displace Portugal from its lucrative West African trading posts. Fort Elmina, established by Portugal in 1482, was a strategic center for the gold and slave trades. In 1637, the Dutch diverted nine ships from their campaign against Portuguese Brazil to strike at this fort, reflecting the global competition between the two powers for colonial trade dominance.
03 / The Outcome
The Portuguese governor negotiated a capitulation: the garrison, governor, and Portuguese civilians were permitted to depart unarmed by boat to the island of São Tomé. The Dutch took possession of the fort along with its gold, silver, and enslaved persons. Control of Elmina passed to the Dutch West India Company, marking a decisive shift in European power along the Gold Coast of West Africa.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Colonel Hans Coine.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.