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The
Great Courland Bay
Settlement.
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The
Great Courland Bay
Settlement was
established as a colony
by the Duchy of Livonia
in 1652.
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Thirty
officers, 150 soldiers
and ninety families of
colonists were sent by
Duke Jacob (James)
Kettler to the island to
establish a settlement.
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They
renamed the island New
Courland and fort was
erected on its
south-western shore
called Jekabforts (Fort
James).
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Other
names of cities and towns
of the Duchy soon
appeared in Tobago
including: Jekaba Pilseta
(Jamestown), James Bay,
Courland Estate and
Little Courland Bay,
Great Courland Bay, New
Jelgave and Liepaja Bay.
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The
colonization of Tobago
enhanced the power and
prestige of the Duchy of
Courland well beyond its
narrow boundaries.
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Under the rule of
the Dukes of Courland,
Latvia (1639-1695)
Germans, Latvians, The
Dutch, Scandinavians,
British, French, Jews,
and Gambians formed and
international settlement
of free men here.
• They
were engaged in
international trade with
other Courlandian
settlements in
North America, Africa,
Europe and Brazil.
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| Ancient Courland
flag |
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| Jacob Kettler
1642-82 |
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Other Courlandian settlements in
Tobago were located at Black Rock, Fort
Bennett, Mt. Irvine (Little Courland Bay)
Fort Monick, Fort Schmoll, Fort Cashmir,
King Peter Bay ( Kalpi Bay) and Castara
Bay (Coerse Bay, Kursu Licis).
• The Courlanders ships and flag -
a black crab on a red background, were
well known throughout the mercantile
world. They transported and sold Tobago's
main exports of sugar, spices, tobacco,
cocoa, coffee, cotton and tropical birds.
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The Courlanders
were driven out by the Dutch 1656, but
they regained it shortly afterwards.
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Jacob’s son
Friedrich finally sold the island to
British colonists.
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The descendants of
these original Courlanders - now called
Latvians return here annually to
celebrate the memories of their long lost
ancestors and have constructed a monument
that overlooks the Great Courland Bay.
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The ruins of Fort James, now well
manicured overlooks The Great
Courland Bay on Tobago's West
coast.
Click
Here to arrange your
The Great Courland Bay Tour
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