Cornelius Ludewich Bartels

A military and colonial officer of German origin, Bartels rose through the ranks of the Dutch West India Company and eventually reached the post of Governor-General of the Dutch Gold Coast between 1798 and 1804.

Born in Brunswick, Bartels served as a sergeant in the army of Frederick III, Prince of Salm-Kyrburg until the army was disbanded following the invasion of the Dutch Republic by Frederick William II of Prussia. Forced to seek a new employment, he entered the service of the Amsterdam chamber of the Dutch West India Company in 1789. Within one decade, he was promoted from a junior member to commandant of Fort St. Anthony at Axim in 1798.

That same year he was named President of the Council of the Dutch Gold Coast, a title which was reserved for acting Director-General and he held that position until 1804.

Bartels was probably best known for establishing mulatto family dynasty in Elmina. His son, Carel Hendrik Bartels was the most important mulatto trader of the Gold Coast in the second quarter of the 19th century.