Saint Anthony Fort

Axim [Axém], Guinea-Bissau | Gulf of Guinea | São Tomé and Príncipe, Ghana

Military Architecture

The Portuguese planned various forts/trading posts along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea beyond São Jorge da Mina, among which one can mention the project D. Manuel I had to erecte at a so called “Aldeia de Portugal” (Village of Portugal) in Cape Palmas. This monarch, however, built only one fort, maybe in 1503, west of Cape Three Points in a region called Axem (currently Axim) which was named Santo António. Its purpose, like that of Mina, was to collect the gold in the region. The history of this fortress is not well known, but what is known is that the type of business and organization was identical to that of São Jorge da Mina, 180 km distant.
The fortress had a small garrison headed by a captain who was also a factor, it was responsible for sending to Portugal, until the mid-sixteenth century, an average of 126-137 kg of gold per year.
After the Dutch West India Company defeated the Portuguese in São Jorge da Mina in 1637 they managed to occupy the fortress of Axim in February 1642.

• José Manuel Garcia