Berbice

Berbice was from 1627 to 1814 a Dutch colony on the northern coast of South America, in the region of Berbice. Berbice was part of colonies which are also known under the collective term of Dutch Guiana.

Change of ownership

At the instigation of Zeeländers Abraham van spears is a nice start from 1627 with the establishment of a colony on the Berbice made ​​. First, here bartering system was used with locals. With the ever more sprawling plantation economy the natives, however, were always pushed back more.

The Dutch rule was from 1665 to 1666 and from 1781 to 1782 interrupted by the British, as the Berbice and Essequibo colonies were conquered (including Demerara ). The English rule was replaced by the French from 1782 to 1784. After the French colony in 1784 had ceded again, Berbice remained until 1796 again in Dutch-owned, as it was, and thus almost definitely again occupied by the British. After the Peace of Amiens it came from 1802 to 1803 briefly back in Dutch hands, after which it was taken over by the British again. Through the British -Dutch Treaty of 1814 fell on Berbice August 13, 1814 officially to the United Kingdom. On July 21, 1831 was then assembled together with Essequibo and Demerara as British Guiana, before the area in 1966 as Guyana became independent.

Privateers, law firm of Berbice

Berbice was threatened by piracy as the neighboring colonies, Essequibo and Suriname. The biggest shock led the French out in November 1712, was sacked as Berbice under the command of Jacques Cassard by Baron de Mouans. Only after buying out the equivalent of 300,000 guilders, in the form of bills of exchange, slaves and stack products, Kaper went off again. When the family van spears as the owner of Berbice the financial risk was too great and the colony wanted to make, it came to complicated financial transactions in 1720 establishing the law firm of Berbice, the new owner.

The firm had a role model in neighboring Suriname, the law firm of Suriname. The company was managed by a Board, originally consisting of seven directors, which was later expanded to nine people. In 1732, an octroi or Charter entered into force, among other things, the independent position towards the West India Company (WIC ) commit. Through this Charter, the firm acted as sovereign over the colony. The highest power lay principally in the law firm of Berbice. Even the original monopoly on the supply of slaves was no longer in the WIC.

The Directorate had its seat in Amsterdam and the new directors were elected by the board members. As a rule, from among those who possessed in the company over larger shares. Furthermore, it was already decided shortly after the foundation in order to always choose a Council pensioners of the city of Amsterdam as director. This ordered the firm through a direct connection to the States General of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. The 37 directors who had the management of the firm since its founding in 1720 until the abolition in 1795, were almost all members of the Amsterdam patrician families.

In Berbice was the governor the highest representative of the firm. The named by the Board of Governor had to take an oath before his departure towards the States-General. In the period 1732-1795 a total of eleven governors were appointed.

Fortification, government

In the 17th century the most important fortification, Fort Nassau was at Berbice, about 90 km from the coast built. The fort was simultaneously also the administrative center of the colony and the seat of the governor. The first colonial settlements, trading posts and plantations originated further upstream on the banks of the Berbice and later also on both sides of Canje.

From 1785 was Nieuw Amsterdam, now New Amsterdam created as the seat of the government at the mouth of Canje in Berbice. In the vicinity of Fort Nassau was already in the 17th century a settlement called Nieuw Amsterdam.

Slave Rebellion

In February 1763 slaves arrived on the plantations on Canje and Berbice under the leadership of the slave Cuffy (also Coffy ) from the plantation lily castle in revolt. During this time the colony had around 350 White ( including women and children) and almost 4,000 African slaves. After the first plantations raided, looted and buildings were set on fire, the fleeing whites at first sought refuge at Fort Nassau. Because of its poor condition and the approaching rebels, the fort was abandoned. The survivors fled downstream into the military post St. Andries, not far from the mouth of the Berbice. Here they hoped to help the summoned from the neighboring colonies and the Netherlands by Governor van Hooge home troops. Although the blacks were in the majority, they could not agree on a common line towards the low countries. While Cuffy for a division of the country ( and white on the coast of Black inland ) entered, pursued his deputy Akara an aggressive tactic. This eventually led to internal struggles and suicide of Cuffy in 1763rd With the hurrying from Suriname and Sint Eustatius auxiliary troops and the end of December 1763 with six ships from Europe arrived military, the Dutch were able to conquer the colony.

During the fights were about 40 whites and 1,800 Africans death. Although the revolt failed primarily by strife among the slaves, yet it was the first serious attempt of a larger group of African slaves to provide a free country for freed slaves in the New World.

Border dispute, Exploration

About the boundary line between the colonies Berbice and Suriname was early disagreement. As both Berbice and Suriname were occupied by the British, 1799 (Suriname ) agreed the two governors van Imbijze van Batenburg ( Berbice ) and de Friderici over the course of the border. The west bank of the Corantijn to Duivelskreek was awarded Berbice. The boundary was the low water line on the west bank of the Corantijn. This agreement was published on January 20, 1800 in Nieuw Amsterdam ( Berbice ). It is the basis for the Dutch and Surinamese later claim that the border between Suriname and Guyana is located on the western shore of Corantijn.

The German explorer Robert Hermann Schomburgk undertook from 1835 to 1839 a scientific expedition to British Guiana and 1840-1844 he toured the border rivers on behalf of the British Government to determine the borders with neighboring countries Venezuela and Suriname. The border river Corantijn he explored twice, in 1837 and 1843. Unlike his first trip he came in 1843 to the conclusion that in the southern course of the Coeroenie and Koetari would be the main flow and thus the Corantijn. As a result, the southern border between Guyana and Suriname to date is controversial.

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