This work retells a rather esoteric story in the European colonization of the Americas: The Couronian episode in the settlement of Tobago. The Duchy of Courland, which is part of modern Latvia, in the seventeenth century under the capable Duke Jacob (1642-1688) developed mercantilist ambitions that culminated in the acquisition of Gambia in West Africa and Tobago in the West Indies. The Couronians held the title to Tobago, a claim that was not unchallenged by other European powers, during the second half of the seventeenth century. The first Couronian expedition arrived in Tobago in 1639, and the last one reached the island in 1688. Altogether over 32 expeditions left Courland, but only 17 are known to have reached Tobago. This fact alone illustrates: 1. the dangers of seafaring in the seventeenth century; 2. the tenuousness of the Couronian claim; 3. the futility of Courland’s colonialism; and 4. the earnestness of Duke Jacob in pursuing his plans. The Duke’s intentions were not only to control the island, but to colonize it and to establish a full mercantile relationship with it.
Duke Jacob’s death was crucial in the disintegration of Courland’s mercantilism; his successors continued to make claims to Tobago for another century but never with the same vigor and success. But it is dubious, according to Andersons’ account, whether the colonial venture could have been continued for long and the hold on Tobago strengthened, even if the Duke had lived. Aside from the mere problem of maintaining communications with Tobago, in the era of rising great powers, it might have been too much for a small duchy to stay in competition with the big ones. Also, from the viewpoint of internal economics, the continuance of colonial policy might have already reached a saturation point because the expenditures of fitting out the expedition are known to have been high, and it is not known whether the Duke ever made a profit in return. From the standpoint of the local population the failure of Couronian colonialism might have been a fortunate thing.
In telling the story Professor Andersons has assembled the evidence carefully. It is unlikely that a more comprehensive version is to be written in the near future in any language. Andersons, a Latvian by birth, gives us in addition to the diplomatic imbroglio of European powers, a very sympathetic account of the natives of Tobago, their history and culture. In his account Tobago is still seen from the view of white Europe, but not from that of the great powers, which in balance is a significant improvement over most of the books written on colonial history. The work is well researched, tightly written, and the author has surveyed many archives as yet untouched by the historians of Courland and its colonial interlude.
