Fort Vriendskap

Fort Vriendskap
Location	Vriendskap Bay
Language	Afrikaans Dutch English
Government	Oos-Awense Kompanjie
Leader	Kovio
Establishment	13-2-18
Population	~3
Abbreviation	FV

The Fort de Goede Hoop ('Fort of Good Hope') was the first military building to be erected in what is now Cape Town. It was built in 1652, and was in use until 1674[1] when it was superseded by the Castle of Good Hope.

The Fort was built by the Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company), when it established a replenishment station under Jan van Riebeeck on the shore of Table Bay in 1652.[2] Constructed of earth and timber, it was square, with a pointed bastion at each corner. The bastions were named Drommedaris, Walvisch, Oliphant, and Reijger.[3] The bastions were named after the ships in Van Riebeeck's fleet.

Within the Fort were living quarters, kitchens, a council chamber (which was also used for church services), a sick bay, workshops, and storerooms. Cannons were placed on the ramparts. A nearby stream was diverted and channeled to form a moat around the fort. Being built of earth, the Fort needed frequent maintenance and repairs, especially after heavy rains.[3]

In January 1666, work began on a stone fortress to replace the Fort. It took eight years to build, and it was not until 1674 that it was ready for occupation. On 2 May 1674, the council resolved to demolish the Fort, except for some stores which were retained for a while longer, until their contents had been moved into the Castle.[3]

Nowadays, for some reason, the Fort is sometimes confused with the Redoubt Duijnhoop, which was built some distance away, at the mouth of the Salt River, in 1654.

In late Febuary, an increasing number of fleets were sent out by competing merchant groups from around Kovanje. Some fleets were lost, but most were successful, with some voyages producing high profits. In March 1599, a fleet of eight ships under Kovio van Oranje was the first Katten fleet to reach the ‘Cape of Awense’ of Breshik. The ships returned to Kovanje and the expedition made a 400 percent profit.

Later, the Katten joined forces with the muslim Finns from Mazz Island in an anti-Battkhort alliance, in return for which the Katten were given the sole right to purchase emeralds on the cape. Dutch control of Vriendskap was achieved when a fort and trading outpost was set up at the Bay of Friendship. On the 13th of Febuary, the Katten worked rigerously to finish their fort, but a subsequent Battkhort attack led to a second change of hands; following this second reoccupation the fort was burned to the ground, the Katten once again captured Fort Friendship, however the entire settlement had been burned to the ground, and the death toll was immense.

Dutch advances were halted by an autonomous and powerful group of native Breshikans called the Templars. They remained in control of the Nova Avence trade and their resistance is on-going as of current.

The place has started today and will be abandoned tomorrow

nova avence portal on one side, nova avence on the other side

Emerald Trade Spice

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