Swedish Colonial Empire

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Swedish Colonial Empire shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Swedish Colonial Empire offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Swedish Colonial Empire at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Swedish Colonial Empire? Wrong! If the Swedish Colonial Empire is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Swedish Colonial Empire then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Swedish Colonial Empire? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Swedish Colonial Empire and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Swedish Colonial Empire wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Swedish Colonial Empire then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Swedish Colonial Empire site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Swedish Colonial Empire, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Swedish Colonial Empire, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

Sweden possessed overseas colonies from 1638 to 1663 and from 1784 to 1878.

The former Swedish colonies in Africa were:

Swedish Gold Coast (1650-1663; lost to Denmark and the Dutch Empire) Including Cape Coast (1649-1663) consisting following settlements:
:Apollonia, present Benin: 1655-1657.
:Osu Castle/Fort Frederiksborg, which became the capital, present Osu: 1652-1658
:Fort Batenstein, present Butri: 1649-1656.
:Fort Witsen, present Takoradi: 1653-1658.
:Cape Castle: April 1650 - January/February 1658, 10 December 1660- 22 April 1663

The former Swedish colonies in America:

Guadeloupe (1813-1814;returned to French colonial empires)
Saint-Barthélemy (1784-1878; sold to France)
New Sweden (1638-1655; lost to the Dutch Empire)

In the Americas New Sweden By the middle of the 17th century, the Swedish Empire had reached its greatest territorial extent. The Swedes sought to extend their influence by creating an agricultural (tobacco) and fur trading colony to bypass French, British and Dutch merchants. The charter included Swedish, Dutch and German stockholders. Once they landed they established, Fort Christina (now Wilmington, Delaware), named after Queen Christina of Sweden. Many of the settlers were Finland; since until 1809 History of Finland was governed as the eastern third of the kingdom of Sweden-Finland.

The settlement was actually an invasion of New Netherland since it was Dutch territory. The first governor, Peter Minuit, died after returning from Stockholm by a hurricane while on the island of St. Christopher in the Caribbean. The colony would establish Fort Nya Elfsborg north of present-day Salem, New Jersey in 1643.

In May 1654 the Dutch fort Fort Casimir was conquered by New Sweden. As a reprisal, the Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant sent an army to the Delaware River, which obtained the surrender of the Swedish forts.

Antillian possessions As a result of Sweden's support of France's enemies during the Napoleonic Wars, the island of Guadeloupe was ceded to king Charles XIV John of Sweden personally, not to his Swedish state.

However a year later the island was given to France by the Treaty of Paris (1814). Sweden then forced a settlement with Great Britain because it had been guaranteed the island which was strategically close to its other Caribbean colony. This led to the Guadeloupe Fund which guaranteed Sweden 24 million francs. Because of how the money was used, Sweden was then given an additional 300,000 Riksdaler under the Riksdag of 1815 every year. The last installment was paid in 1983.

In Africa : Swedish Gold Coast Sweden temporarily controlled several settlements on the Gold Coast (British colony) (present Ghana) since 22 April 1650, but lost the last when on 20 April 1663 Fort Carlsborg and the capital Fort Chistiansborg were seized by Denmark.

Cape Coast In 1652, the Swedes took Cape Coast (in modern Ghana) which had previously been under the control of the Dutch and before that the Portugal. Cape Coast was centered around the Carolusburg Castle which was built in 1653 and named after king Charles X Gustav of Sweden but is now known as the Cape Coast Castle.

The Swedish Atlantic slave trade During this time the small Swedish slave trade began. However, after the fall of New Sweden to the Dutch, the slave trade ended. It would later be rejuvenated under Gustav III who would founded a Swedish colony on Saint-Barthélemy in 1785 and made the island a center for slave trading. The Swedish West India Company was established on the island in 1786.

Sources and references (incomplete)

WorldStatesmen- Swedish Possessions & Colonies