The “Golden Carriage” was given to Queen Wilhelmina from the people of Amsterdam as a gift in 1898. The painting by Nicolaas van der Waay was intended to recreate the style of the country’s 17th-century “Golden Age,” in which Amsterdam became wealthy as the hub of a naval empire due to its trade with African colonies, especially along the coastal towns in Ghana particularly Komenda, and Elmina.
Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Ghana. In 1621 the Dutch West India Company tried to seize the Portuguese colonies in Africa and America as part of the Groot Desseyn plan. In 1625, the Dutch West India Company managed to capture Elmina Castle from the Portuguese in 1637. Fort San Sebastian at Shama in 1640 and Fort Santo Antonio at Axim followed in 1642.
The Dutch West India Company gained a monopoly on trade from Africa to the West Indies and began a relationship with the Ashanti (Asante) Empire. Ashanti-Fante wars followed until the Fante(ASAFO) army invaded Komenda in the final and last Fante-Dutch War. This cut the supply of weapons and support to Asante. The following year, Asante attacked the Fante in a promise to wipe out every living Fante soul from the face of the earth. To their surprise and in the very first time, all the Fante States had united under the command of the King of Abura (King in charge of war affairs) to inflict huge damages and losses to the attacking armies.
All this history should be documented and told in schools, places like Amsterdam and Portugal looked like Elmina and Komenda 400 years ago.
Source: Asafo Flags
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