History of Suriname (Early European involvement)

The first Europeans who came to Suriname were Dutch traders who visited the area along with other parts of the South America's 'Wild Coast.' The first attempts to settle the area by Europeans was in 1630, when English settlers led by Captain Marshall attempted to found a colony. They cultivated crops of tobacco, but the venture failed.

In 1651 a second attempt to establish an English colony was made by Lord Willoughby, the governor of Barbados. The expedition was led by Anthony Rowse, who established a colony and called it 'Willoughbyland.' It consisted of around 500 sugar plantations and a fort (Fort Willoughby). Most of the work was done by the 2000 African slaves in the colony. There were around 1000 whites there, soon joined by other Europeans and Brazilian Jews. The settlement was invaded by the Dutch (from the Zeeland region), led by Abraham Crijnsen, on 27th February 1667. Fort Willoughby was captured and renamed Fort Zeelandia. On 31 July 1667, the English and Dutch signed the Treaty of Breda, in which the Dutch were allowed to keep Suriname in return for trading their colony New Amsterdam (modernday New York). Willoughbyland was renamed Netherlands Guiana.

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