List of colonial governors of the Dutch Gold Coast


This article lists the colonial governors of the Dutch Gold Coast. During the Dutch presence on the Gold Coast, which lasted from 1598 to 1872, the title of the head of the colonial government changed several times:
Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office.

Direct Dutch rule (1612–1621)

Before the establishment of the Dutch West India Company on 3 June 1621, Dutch traders nominally were at the direct control of the Dutch government. Initially, the regulation of trade was left to the traders themselves, but after the building of Fort Nassau at Mouri in 1612, a general was installed to administrate the new colony.
NameTitleTook OfficeLeft OfficeNotes
Jacob Adriaensz ClantiusGeneral of the Coast16121614
A.J. RoestGeneral of the Coast1614?
Arent Jacobzen van AmersfoortGeneral of the Coast??

Dutch West India Company rule (1621–1791)

There are many lists available of Director-Generals of the Gold Coast in service of the Dutch West India Company, all with slightly conflicting names and dates. The most accurate information is available for the eighteenth century, as Harvey Feinberg compiled a list of Director-Generals of that century on the basis of day registries available at the Nationaal Archief.
NameTitleTook OfficeLeft OfficeNotes
Adriaen JacobzoonDirector-General16241629Based at Fort Nassau, Mouri
Nikolaas van YprenDirector-General162918 July 1639Based at Fort George, Elmina, from 1637
Arend Jacobszoon MontfortDirector-General18 July 16396 January 1641
Jacob RuyghaverDirector-General6 January 164118 December 16451st term
Jacob van der WellDirector-General18 December 16459 April 1650
Hendrik DoedensDirector-General9 April 165011 June 1650
Arent CocqGovernor11 June 165015 March 1651
Jacob RuyghaverDirector-General15 March 165124 January 16562nd term
Johannes van ValkenburghDirector-General24 January 165627 April 16591st term
Casper van HeussenDirector-General27 April 16597 April 1662
Dirck WilréDirector-General7 April 166223 December 16621st term
Johannes van ValkenburghDirector-General23 December 16622 June 16672nd term
Huybert van OngerdonkGovernor2 June 166712 December 1668
Dirck WilréDirector-General12 December 166812 June 16752nd term
Johan RootDirector-General12 June 167513 September 1676
Abraham MeermansDirector-General13 September 167626 March 1680
Daniël VerhoutertDirector-General26 March 16801 August 1683
Thomas ErnsthuisDirector-General1 August 168315 July 1685
Nikolas de SweertsDirector-General15 July 168529 January 1690
Joël SmitsDirector-General29 January 169025 March 1664
Jan StaphorstDirector-General25 March 16949 June 1696
Joan van SevenhuijsenDirector-General9 June 169616 May 1702
Willem de la PalmaDirector-General16 May 170217 October 1705Died in office
Pieter NuytsDirector-General23 October 170526 September 1708Died in office
Henrico van WeselGovernor26 September 170813 July 1709
Adriaan SchoonheijdDirector-General13 July 170915 March 1711Died in office
Hieronimus HaringDirector-General16 March 171112 May 1716
Abraham Engelgraaf-RobbertszoonDirector-General12 May 171611 March 1718
Willem ButlerDirector-General12 March 171825 September 1722
Abraham HoutmanDirector-General25 September 172217 May 1723Died in office
Mattheus de CraneGovernor17 May 172314 December 1723
Pieter ValkenierDirector-General14 December 17236-7 March 1727
Robert NorreDirector-General7 March 17276 March 1730
Jan PrangerDirector-General6 March 173013 March 1734
Antonius van OverbekeDirector-General13 March 17342 April 1736Died in office
Martinus François de BordesDirector-General7 April 173616 March 1740Died in office
François BaroviusGovernor17 March 17408 March 1741
Baron Jacob de PetersenDirector-General8 March 174110-12 April 1747
Jan van VoorstDirector-General10-12 April 174714 July 1754
Nicolas Mattheus van der Nood de GietereDirector-General14 July 175424 October 1755Died in office
Roelof UlzenGovernor24 October 175515 January 1758
Lambert Jacob van TetsDirector-General15 January 175812 March 1758Died in office
Jan Pieter Theodoor HuydecoperPresident of the Council22 March 17585 October 17601st Term
David Pieter ErasmieDirector-General5 October 176019 July 1763Died in office
Hendrick WalmbeekGovernor24 July 176310 September 1764
Jan Pieter Theodoor HuydecoperDirector-General10 September 176411 July 17672nd Term; died in office
Willem Sulyard van Leefdael and Cornelis KlokPresident of the Council11 July 176727 August 1767Both acting ad interim until Woortman arrived at Elmina
Pieter WoortmanDirector-General27 August 176714 April 1780Died in office
Jacobus van der PuijePresident of the Council10 May 178030 December 1780
Pieter VolkmarDirector-General30 December 178012 March 1784
Gilles Servaas GallePresident of the Council15 March 178414 February 17851st Term
Adolph ThierensDirector-General14 February 178526 May 1786Died in office
Gilles Servaas GallePresident of the Council2 June 178624 August 17872nd Term; died in office
Lieve van Bergen van der GrijpPresident of the Council27 August 178711-14 March 17901st Term
Jacobus Adriaan de VeerDirector-General11-14 March 179031 December 1791Dutch West India Company liquidated 31 December 1791

Direct Dutch rule (1792–1872)

The Dutch West India Company was dissolved in 1791, and its colonies reverted to the rule of the States-General of the Dutch Republic on 1 January 1792. The last Director-General installed by the Dutch West India Company, Jacobus de Veer, became the first Director-General under the direct authority of the Dutch Republic. The Dutch Republic was succeeded by the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of Holland, which all inherited the rule over the colony.
Although the Kingdom of Holland was incorporated into the First French Empire, the colony on the Gold Coast was never occupied by either France or Great-Britain. Dutch rule continued under the Kingdom of the Netherlands proclaimed in 1815, until the cession of the possessions on the Gold Coast to the United Kingdom in 1872.