Fort Amsterdam

  Fort Nassau (North)

  Fort Orange

  Fort Nassau (South)

  Fort Goede Hoop

  De Wal

  Fort Casimir

  Fort Altena

  Fort Wilhelmus   Fort Beversreede   Fort Nya Korsholm   De Rondout Settlements:   Noten Eylandt   New Amsterdam   Rensselaerswyck   New Haarlem   Noortwyck   Beverwijck   Wiltwyck   Bergen   Pavonia   Vriessendael   Achter Col   Vlissingen   Oude Dorpe   Colen Donck   Greenwich   Heemstede   Rustdorp   Gravesende   Breuckelen   New Amersfoort   Midwout   New Utrecht   Boswyck   Swaanendael   New Amstel   Nieuw Dorp The Patroon System Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions Directors of New Netherland: Cornelius Jacobsen May (1620-25) Willem Verhulst (1625-26) Peter Minuit (1626-32) Sebastiaen Jansen Krol (1632-33) Wouter van Twiller (1633-38) Willem Kieft (1638-47) Peter Stuyvesant (1647-64) People of New Netherland New Netherlander Twelve Men Eight Men Flushing Remonstrance Fort Casimir was a Dutch settlement in 17th century colonial province of New Netherland. It was located on a no-longer existing barrier island at the end of Chestnut Street in what is now New Castle Delaware.1 The trading post was named for Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz23 count of Nassau-Dietz and Stadtholder of Friesland Groningen and Drenthe in the Netherlands. Modern map showing some New Nethlerland settlements including Fort Nassau and Fort Casimir. Yellow line marks the coast between the 38th and 42nd parallel the greatest extent of the Dutch Empire's North American claim. Contents 1 Background 2 Sovereignty 3 See also 4 External links 5 References 6 Other sources 7 External links Background The Dutch called the Delaware River the Zuyd Rivier or South River and considered the lands along it banks and those of its bay to be the southern flank of its province of New Netherland. In 1638 the Delaware Valley began to be settled by Swedes Finns Dutch and Walloons and became the colony of New Sweden though this was not officially recognized by the Dutch Empire. Sovereignty The fort changed hands several times. Shortly after his arrival to take up his position as up as Director-General of New Netherland in 1648 Peter Stuyvesant attempted to re-assert control of the region and its lucrative trade. In his initial attempt at control he effected the construction of Fort Beversreede near the terminus of the Great Minquas Path at the mouth of the Schuylkill.4 The location of earlier-built Fort Nassau on the east bank (now New Jersey) of the river had proved disadvantageous since the richest fur-trapping area of the native Susquehannock and Lenape populations was inland to the west. In 1651 Stuyvesant had the fort dismantled and relocated to the western bank downstream from Fort Christina the first and one of the larger Swedish settlements. He named it Fort Casimir.5 Fort Beversreede was abandoned and the Dutch presence was consolidated. On Trinity Sunday in 1654 Johan Risingh Commissary and Councilor to New Sweden Governor Lt. Col. Johan Printz officially assumed his duties and his attempts to expel the Dutch from the Delaware Valley. Fort Casimir surrendered to the Swedes and was renamed Fort Trinity (in Swedish Fort Trefaldighet). On June 21 1654 the native peoples met with the Swedes to reaffirm their alliance. Stuyvesant led a Dutch force which retook the fort on September 11 1655 renaming it New Amstel (in Dutch Nieuw Amstel). Fort Christina located 6.5 mi (10.5 km) to the north fell on September 15 1655. Fort Nya Elfsborg on the east bank was abandoned and set afire by departing Swedish forces. New Sweden came under the control of the Dutch. John Paul Jacquet was immediately appointed Governor making New Amstel a regional capitol of the Dutch province 67 subordinate to New Amsterdam. It is generally assumed the Peach Tree War attack at Pavonia was a retaliation as the indigenous population considered the treaty with the Swedes to include a defence alliance. 8 In 1664 Stuyvesant peacefully surrendered control of Fort Amsterdam and thereby all of New Netherland to the British. Proceeding south the British peacefully took Fort Altena. A symbolic resistance was offered at Fort Casimir but the fort quickly succumbed.9 In 1673-1674 it came under Dutch control again but reverted to the English after the signing of the Treaty of Westminster.10 The fort was abandoned around 1675 and the site was used for several different commercial purposes. Low laying areas around the old fort site were filled with ash. It is believed that presently a parking lot and several houses are located above the remains of the fort. A preliminary archeological survey of the area was conducted in 1986.1 See also Fortifications of New Netherland New Netherland settlements Zwaanendael Colony External links New River Notes Delaware Historical Timeline References a b "Where Was Fort Casimir Historical And Archaeological Evidence From The 1986 Heite Report". New Castle Delaware Community History and Archaeology Program. http://nc-chap.org/chap/casimir.php. Retrieved September 17 2010.  Delaware Federal Writers' Program (1938). Delaware A Guide To The First State. New York: Viking Press. p. 26. ISBN 9781603540087. http://books.google.com/booksidvJ5OeFvqWRAC.  "Fort Nassau". Gloucester County New Jersey History and Genealogy. http://www.nj.searchroots.com/Gloucesterco/fortnassau.htm#Location. Retrieved 2010-09-15.  The Great Trail Pennsylvania historical marker. Cleary William E. History of Fort Nassau February 18 2007. Accessed September 15 2010. "Site Of Fort Casimir". Delaware Public Archives. State of Delaware. http://archives.delaware.gov/markers/ncc/SITE%20OF%20FORT%20CASIMER%20NC-23.shtml. Retrieved 2010-09-14.  "Siege of Christina Fort1655". Maps etc.. Florida Center for Instructional Technology. http://etc.usf.edu/Maps/pages/8100/8116/8116.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-14.  Shorto Russell (2004). The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America. New York: Random House. ISBN 1-4000-7867-9.  Plantenga Bart (2001-04). "The Mystery of the Plockhoy Settlement in the Valley of Swans". Historical Committee & Archives of the Mennonite Church: Mennonite Historical Bulletin. http://www.mcusa-archives.org/MHB/Plantenga-Plockhoyt.htm. Retrieved 2020-09-15.  "Site Of Fort Casimir". Delaware Public Archives. State of Delaware. http://archives.delaware.gov/markers/ncc/SITE%20OF%20FORT%20CASIMER%20NC-23.shtml. Retrieved 2010-09-14.  Other sources Johnson Amandus The Swedes in America 1638-1900: Vol. I The Swedes on the Delaware 1638-1664. (1914) Johnson Amandus Johan Classon Rising: The last governor of New Sweden (1915) Johnson Amandus The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware 1638-1664 Volume II (1927) Weslager C. A. The Swedes and Dutch at New Castle (1987) External links A Brief History of New Castle Delaware 350 years of New Castle Delaware Family Search.com: Map of Delaware Valley in 17th century showing forts & settlements with date of founding Coordinates: 393733N 753605W / 39.625788N 75.601387W / 39.625788; -75.601387