Dutch West India Company Slave Operations (1621–1792)

1. States General charters the West India Company

   Jun 3, 1621Labels: States General, Dutch West

   • Britannica
   • NNI Timeline

2. WIC leadership adopts the “Grand Design” plan

   Oct 1, 1623Labels: Groot Desseyn, WIC directors

   • Groot Desseyn
   • NNI Timeline

3. Enslaved Africans brought to New Netherland

   Jan 1, 1626Labels: New Netherland, Enslaved Africans

   • NNI Slave Trade
   • Land of Blacks

4. Treasure fleet capture finances WIC expansion

   Sep 8, 1628Labels: Piet Heyn, Treasure fleet

   • Matanzas Battle
   • Britannica

5. WIC conquers Pernambuco, launching Dutch Brazil

   Mar 3, 1630Labels: Pernambuco, Dutch Brazil

   • Recife Siege
   • Britannica

6. WIC takes Curaçao, building a regional slave hub

   Aug 21, 1634Labels: Cura ao, Willemstad

   • Fort Amsterdam
   • JSTOR Rupert

7. WIC seizes Elmina Castle on the Gold Coast

   Aug 29, 1637Labels: Elmina Castle, Gold Coast

   • Elmina 1637
   • ASC Leiden

8. WIC captures Luanda to tap Central African supply

   Aug 26, 1641Labels: Luanda, West Central

   • Loango Angola
   • ASC Leiden

9. Dutch Brazil collapses after costs and resistance

   Jan 1, 1654Labels: Dutch Brazil, Portuguese resistance

   • Britannica
   • WIC Overview

10. Dutch capture Suriname, expanding plantation slavery

    Feb 27, 1667Labels: Suriname, Plantation slavery

    • Surinam Invasion
    • Surinam Colony

11. First WIC bankrupts; Second WIC chartered

    Jan 1, 1674Labels: First WIC, Second WIC

    • Cambridge Core
    • WIC 1674

12. Society of Suriname formed; WIC keeps slave-trade leverage

    Jan 1, 1683Labels: Society of, Cornelis van

    • Amsterdam Archive
    • Surinam Colony

13. Komenda Wars reshape Gold Coast trade dynamics

    Jan 1, 1694Labels: Komenda Wars, Gold Coast

    • Komenda Wars
    • WIC Overview

14. Dutch state ends the WIC; colonies transferred

    Jan 1, 1792Labels: Dutch state, WIC dissolution

    • WIC Defunct
    • Gold Coast List