Fortaleza de Santo António da Ponta da Mina

Fortaleza de Santo António da Ponta da Mina
Fortaleza, Ponta da Mina, Príncipe in São Tomé and Príncipe
Entrance to the port of the island of Príncipe (English engraving from 1727), on the left and the mid part, Forte da Ponta da Mina
Santo António da Ponta da Mina
Coordinates 1°38′52″N 7°26′16″E / 1.64778°N 7.43778°E / 1.64778; 7.43778Coordinates: 1°38′52″N 7°26′16″E / 1.64778°N 7.43778°E / 1.64778; 7.43778
Site information
Controlled by Portuguese Empire (1695-1890)
Condition Abandoned
Site history
Built 1695
In use 1695-1890
Events Spanish War of Succession
Bartholomew Roberts' Raid on Príncipe

Fortaleza de Santo António da Ponta da Mina or Forte de Ponta da Mina was a fort located east of the island capital Santo António in the island of Príncipe in São Tomé and Príncipe. It was located at Ponta da Mina, the hamlet of Fortaleza is named after the abandoned fortress.[1]

History

The island's fort was first built in 1695 where the fort started building.

According to Father Cunha Matos, on the same date, an Infantry company came to garrison the fortress.

In 1706 and in 1709, the city of Santo António was invaded by the French during the Spanish War of Succession and its fortress was set on fire ruining its artillery.

In 1719, the city was burned to the ground by the English pirate Bartholomew Roberts along with John Roberts and Black Bart in revenge of the death of a captain Howell Davis.

According to Father Cunha Matos, the Royal Battery "Bateria Real" had a semicircular shape, it had 16 pieces of bronze artillery and 3 to 14 caliber guns. The Royal Battery shaped in a zig-zag with the Battery of Príncipe. Its location of the Royal Battery was 500 feet (150 meters) above sea level, the Príncipe Battery was 200 feet (65 meters) above sea level.

Later history

The fort was later described by Conceição e Sousa in 1879 with its location at 50 m above sea level and its longest length being 32 m. He described the fortress with a polygonal battery with 17 cannons.

Repair works were made between 1885 and 1886, in 1890, it became abandoned.

Further repairs were made in 1905, 1907 and 1910 and were insufficient, it became entirely abandoned.

The five last bronze pieces of the fort were founded in the city in the first half of the 20th century, having fire when General António Óscar de Fragoso Carmona visited the island in 1938.

Today, the fortress lay in ruins, overgrown with trees, with an old iron cannon, it was survived by the foot of an old gunpowder house.

With relations to Fort Santa Ana, known without description by Father Cunha Matos It may be located in a point in the north of the bay, near the edge of Ponta da Mina, recent studies by the University of Salford figured the archaeologocal site with its characteristics of an old fort.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Colonialvoyage.com

Further reading

  • Matos, Raimundo José da Cunha. Corografia Histórica das Ilhas de S. Tomé, Príncipe, Ano Bom e Fernando Pó (4a. ed.). São Tomé: Imprensa Nacional, 1916.
  • Melo, José Brandão Pereira de. A Fortaleza de Santo António da Ponta da Mina. Lisboa: Agência-Geral do Ultramar, 1969. (Coleção Figuras e Feitos de Além-Mar, no. 5) 87p.
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