Info For Yous William Ansah Sasreku (Sessarakoo): The African Prince From Ghana Who Was Sold Into Slavery Inwards Barbados Simply Gained His Liberty As Well As Became A Celebrity Inwards London
William Ansah (or Unsah) Sessarakoo (1736–1749), also known every bit William Ansa Sasraku was the brilliant, gentle as well as artistic boy of a wealthy Gold Coaster (Ghanaian) as well as African trader who was treacherously sold into slavery inwards Barbados past times a British ship captain. He is best known for beingness released from slavery inwards the West Indies as well as taken to London, where he became an instant celebrity gracing the palaces as well as artistic centres.
Wlliam Ansah Sessaraku (Sasraku) who is known to British historians every bit "African visitor to Britain", was born inwards 1736 at Anomabu on the Gold Coast of West Africa. He was the boy of Enu Baissie Kurentsir (known to the European traders every bit John Bannishee Corrantee) as well as his wife, Ekoubah, miss of Ansah Sasreku, virile individual monarch of Akwamu. Obrafo Kurantsir (John Corrantee) was the caput (caboceer or braffo) of 1 of the most prominent extended Fante families living close the British mill (trading post) of Anomabo, 1 of several British factories along the Gold Coast. Corrantee (Kurentsir) was the principal as well as wealthy Anomabo trader inwards gilt as well as slaves. Like other contemporaneous African leaders Corrantee (Kurentsir) forced Europeans to compete alongside each other for his trade.
As human being of foresight as well as intellect, Kurentsir sent 1 of his sons, known to the English linguistic communication every bit Lewis Banishee (Lewis Baissie), to French Republic to last educated as well as to strengthen his commercial ties alongside French traders. According to Sessarakoo's (Sasraku`s) anonymous biographer who published "The Royal African, or, Memoirs of the Young Prince of Annamaboe" inwards London inwards slowly Feb 1749, Corrantee (Kurentsir) was nevertheless an Anglophile who styled himself an Englishman. He allowed his favorite son, Sasreku, to alive inwards the British factory, where he learned to talk English linguistic communication as well as developed a dear for England. The English linguistic communication traders at Anomabo gave Sareku ‘the Name of CUPID, every bit most expressive of his sweetness as well as amiable Temper’ (see: The Royal African, page 37).
Taking payoff of Enu Baissie Kurantsir`s wish to shipping his boy as well as a companion to Europe to acquire European ways of business, to better his trading prospects as well as to lift his mightiness to play 1 European mightiness off against another, a deceitful English linguistic communication slave-trading captain convinced Kurantsir to permit him to accept Sasraku via Barbados to England to last educated as well as to strengthen Kurantsir`s economical human relationship alongside France's main rival. The unnamed English linguistic communication captain betrayed Kurantsir`s's trust, however, past times selling Sasraku into slavery when they reached Barbados inwards 1744. He was fortunately bought past times a sort master. The captain who had sold him died shortly thereafter, as well as when Kurantsir learned of his treachery he refused to proceed trading alongside whatever English linguistic communication merchants. Although the treacherous captain had non been inwards the employ of the Royal African Company as well as to avoid diplomatic problems, the society promised Kurantsir`s to discovery Sasraku, redeem him from slavery, as well as furnish him to Anomabo via London inwards central for Kurantsir's resumption of trade.
In 1748 Sessarakoo (Sasraku) arrived alongside an African countryman inwards London, where he was position nether the protection of the president of the Board of Trade as well as Plantations, George Montagu Dunk, instant earl of Halifax. The 2 Africans chop-chop became celebrities, whose activities were noteworthy during the to a greater extent than than xviii months that they spent inwards London. They were introduced to King George II. The Gentleman's Magazine included inwards its Feb 1749 trial a brief history of Sessarakoo's life, reporting that he as well as his beau African ‘prince’ were beingness clothed as well as educated ‘in a real genteel manner’ (89–90). Their instruction included lessons from ‘their Dancing-master, Mr. Lalauze’ (London Gazetteer, five Apr 1749). Sessarakoo was treated every bit unusual royalty, referred to every bit the ‘royal African’, the ‘Prince of Annamaboe’, as well as ‘Oroonoko’. The General Advertiser announced on 2 Feb 1749 the staging of Thomas Southerne's 1695 tragedy Oroonoko at the Theatre Royal inwards Covent Garden ‘for the Entertainment of the Two Young Africans’. Southerne's play was based on Aphra Behn's 1688 novel of the same shout out almost the noble African Oroonoko, whom a treacherous English linguistic communication captain betrayed into slavery. The Whitehall Evening Post, or, London Intelligencer (2–4 February) reported that when the Africans:
"came into the Box, the polite Audience (true English) received them alongside a loud Clap of Applause, which they each of them acknowledged past times a real genteel Bow, as well as took their Seats … the Distress of Oroonoko, his coming together alongside his Imoinda, the Account of his brutal Usage, all combined to lift inwards their youthful Bosoms such Sentiments of Humanity, that Tears, those Types of generous Minds, flowed plentifully from their Eyes: The Royal Youth, indeed, could stand upwards it no longer, only retired at the End of the Fourth Act, as well as returned in 1 trial again to the Entertainment, when the Fifth was over; his Companion remained, only was the whole Time drowned inwards Tears, which seemed to have got such a sympathizing Effect on the Audience, that few at that spot were only joined him."
The 2 Africans also saw several comedies performed at the Theatre Royal inwards March as well as Apr 1749. On 23 March 1749 Horace Walpole wrote from London to Horace Isle of Mann inwards Italy: ‘There are 2 dark princes of Anamaboe here, who are inwards fashion at all the assemblies, of whom I scarcely know whatever particulars, though their floor is real similar Oroonoko's; all the women know it—and 10 times to a greater extent than than belongs to it’ (Walpole, vol. 2, 265–6).
The biography of Sessarakoo (Sasraku), which saw a instant edition inwards Apr 1749, was widely advertised inwards London newspapers as well as magazines. Its positive depiction of the Royal African Company may have got been intended inwards purpose every bit a reply to the growing criticism of the company's legal monopoly of the African slave trade, which was challenged, for example, past times H5N1 Detection of the Proceedings as well as Practices of the Directors of the Royal African Company of England, since their First Establishment past times Charter inwards 1672, to this Present Year 1748, also published anonymously inwards Feb 1749. The Royal African Company was dissolved the next twelvemonth as well as replaced past times the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa. The baptisms of Sessarakoo (Sasraku) as well as his companion inwards the Church of England on xxx Nov 1749 were noted past times the Gentleman's Magazine. Sessarakoo's life inspired William Dodd inwards July as well as August 1749 to position out a fictional poetic correspondence betwixt the prince as well as the lover he supposedly left behind inwards Africa. Gabriel Mathias painted Sessarakoo's portrait inwards 1749. H5N1 mezzotint engraving inwards 1749 past times John Faber the younger afterwards Mathias's portrait includes a brief biography of Sessarakoo. The Gentleman's Magazine published an engraved portrait of Sessarakoo inwards June 1750.
Sessarakoo left England for Anomabo on fourteen August 1750 aboard HMS Surprize, nether the ascendance of Captain Patrick Baird. He did non attain Anomabo until six Apr 1751 because Baird stopped to inspect British factories on the African coast along the way. Sessarakoo met John Newton off the coast of Sierra Leone on 24 November. Newton was inwards ascendance of a slave-trading vessel. Sessarakoo made a potent impression on the time to come hymn author as well as abolitionist: ‘Mr William Ansah Setarakoo, 1 of the African princes, every bit they were stiled inwards England, who is on his passage to Anomabo inwards the Surprise, came on board alongside me, as well as spent the even out alongside me real much to my satisfaction, beingness original of a groovy bargain of company feel as well as a politeness of behavior I seldom encounter alongside inwards whatever of our complexion hereabouts’ (Newton, 19). When Sessarakoo arrived at Anomabo his begetter replaced his elaborate English linguistic communication wearing clothing alongside African attire. To curry favour alongside his father, every bit good every bit inwards recognition of Sessarakoo's exemplary behavior as well as education, John Roberts, governor-in-chief of all the British factories maintained past times the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa on the Gold Coast, directly hired Sessarakoo every bit a writer, or clerk, for the company. His condition was acknowledged past times his name, William Ansah, ever beingness included on the listing of white, rather than African, employees of the company, though he was ever listed concluding as well as identified every bit beingness ‘black’. He also served every bit a spy for the British, reporting on French activity at Anomabo to the earl of Halifax. He died at Anomabo of unknown causes on xxx Apr 1770.
Vincent Carretta
Sources The imperial African, or, Memoirs of the immature prince of Annamaboe (1749) · E. J. P. Brown, Gold Coast as well as Asianti reader, 2 vols. (1929) · Horace Walpole's correspondence, ed. W. S. Lewis, W. H. Smith, as well as G. L. Lam (1960) · J. Newton, The mag of a slave trader, 1750–1754, ed. B. Martin as well as M. Spurrel (1962) · GM (1749–50) · General Advertiser (2 Feb 1749) · London Gazetteer (5 Apr 1749) · Whitehall Evening Post, or, London Intelligencer (2–4 Feb 1749) · TNA: PRO, ADM 1/1604, CO 267/5, T 70/988, 1477, 1478, 1517 · BL, Add MS 35397
Likenesses J. Faber the younger, portrait, mezzotint, inwards or earlier 1749 (after crude ikon past times G. Mathias), NPG, London [see illus.] · G. Mathias, portrait, oils, inwards or earlier 1749 · grouping portrait, engraving (after G. Mathais), Bridgeman Art Library, London; repro. inwards Gentleman's Magazine (1750)
© Oxford University Press 2004–14
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Portrait of William Ansah Sessarakoo (Sareku) past times Gabriel Mathias
Wlliam Ansah Sessaraku (Sasraku) who is known to British historians every bit "African visitor to Britain", was born inwards 1736 at Anomabu on the Gold Coast of West Africa. He was the boy of Enu Baissie Kurentsir (known to the European traders every bit John Bannishee Corrantee) as well as his wife, Ekoubah, miss of Ansah Sasreku, virile individual monarch of Akwamu. Obrafo Kurantsir (John Corrantee) was the caput (caboceer or braffo) of 1 of the most prominent extended Fante families living close the British mill (trading post) of Anomabo, 1 of several British factories along the Gold Coast. Corrantee (Kurentsir) was the principal as well as wealthy Anomabo trader inwards gilt as well as slaves. Like other contemporaneous African leaders Corrantee (Kurentsir) forced Europeans to compete alongside each other for his trade.
As human being of foresight as well as intellect, Kurentsir sent 1 of his sons, known to the English linguistic communication every bit Lewis Banishee (Lewis Baissie), to French Republic to last educated as well as to strengthen his commercial ties alongside French traders. According to Sessarakoo's (Sasraku`s) anonymous biographer who published "The Royal African, or, Memoirs of the Young Prince of Annamaboe" inwards London inwards slowly Feb 1749, Corrantee (Kurentsir) was nevertheless an Anglophile who styled himself an Englishman. He allowed his favorite son, Sasreku, to alive inwards the British factory, where he learned to talk English linguistic communication as well as developed a dear for England. The English linguistic communication traders at Anomabo gave Sareku ‘the Name of CUPID, every bit most expressive of his sweetness as well as amiable Temper’ (see: The Royal African, page 37).
Taking payoff of Enu Baissie Kurantsir`s wish to shipping his boy as well as a companion to Europe to acquire European ways of business, to better his trading prospects as well as to lift his mightiness to play 1 European mightiness off against another, a deceitful English linguistic communication slave-trading captain convinced Kurantsir to permit him to accept Sasraku via Barbados to England to last educated as well as to strengthen Kurantsir`s economical human relationship alongside France's main rival. The unnamed English linguistic communication captain betrayed Kurantsir`s's trust, however, past times selling Sasraku into slavery when they reached Barbados inwards 1744. He was fortunately bought past times a sort master. The captain who had sold him died shortly thereafter, as well as when Kurantsir learned of his treachery he refused to proceed trading alongside whatever English linguistic communication merchants. Although the treacherous captain had non been inwards the employ of the Royal African Company as well as to avoid diplomatic problems, the society promised Kurantsir`s to discovery Sasraku, redeem him from slavery, as well as furnish him to Anomabo via London inwards central for Kurantsir's resumption of trade.
In 1748 Sessarakoo (Sasraku) arrived alongside an African countryman inwards London, where he was position nether the protection of the president of the Board of Trade as well as Plantations, George Montagu Dunk, instant earl of Halifax. The 2 Africans chop-chop became celebrities, whose activities were noteworthy during the to a greater extent than than xviii months that they spent inwards London. They were introduced to King George II. The Gentleman's Magazine included inwards its Feb 1749 trial a brief history of Sessarakoo's life, reporting that he as well as his beau African ‘prince’ were beingness clothed as well as educated ‘in a real genteel manner’ (89–90). Their instruction included lessons from ‘their Dancing-master, Mr. Lalauze’ (London Gazetteer, five Apr 1749). Sessarakoo was treated every bit unusual royalty, referred to every bit the ‘royal African’, the ‘Prince of Annamaboe’, as well as ‘Oroonoko’. The General Advertiser announced on 2 Feb 1749 the staging of Thomas Southerne's 1695 tragedy Oroonoko at the Theatre Royal inwards Covent Garden ‘for the Entertainment of the Two Young Africans’. Southerne's play was based on Aphra Behn's 1688 novel of the same shout out almost the noble African Oroonoko, whom a treacherous English linguistic communication captain betrayed into slavery. The Whitehall Evening Post, or, London Intelligencer (2–4 February) reported that when the Africans:
"came into the Box, the polite Audience (true English) received them alongside a loud Clap of Applause, which they each of them acknowledged past times a real genteel Bow, as well as took their Seats … the Distress of Oroonoko, his coming together alongside his Imoinda, the Account of his brutal Usage, all combined to lift inwards their youthful Bosoms such Sentiments of Humanity, that Tears, those Types of generous Minds, flowed plentifully from their Eyes: The Royal Youth, indeed, could stand upwards it no longer, only retired at the End of the Fourth Act, as well as returned in 1 trial again to the Entertainment, when the Fifth was over; his Companion remained, only was the whole Time drowned inwards Tears, which seemed to have got such a sympathizing Effect on the Audience, that few at that spot were only joined him."
The 2 Africans also saw several comedies performed at the Theatre Royal inwards March as well as Apr 1749. On 23 March 1749 Horace Walpole wrote from London to Horace Isle of Mann inwards Italy: ‘There are 2 dark princes of Anamaboe here, who are inwards fashion at all the assemblies, of whom I scarcely know whatever particulars, though their floor is real similar Oroonoko's; all the women know it—and 10 times to a greater extent than than belongs to it’ (Walpole, vol. 2, 265–6).
William Ansah Sessarakoo (b. c.1730, d. 1770), past times John Faber Jr., mid 18th cent. (after Gabriel Mathias, 1749)
Sessarakoo left England for Anomabo on fourteen August 1750 aboard HMS Surprize, nether the ascendance of Captain Patrick Baird. He did non attain Anomabo until six Apr 1751 because Baird stopped to inspect British factories on the African coast along the way. Sessarakoo met John Newton off the coast of Sierra Leone on 24 November. Newton was inwards ascendance of a slave-trading vessel. Sessarakoo made a potent impression on the time to come hymn author as well as abolitionist: ‘Mr William Ansah Setarakoo, 1 of the African princes, every bit they were stiled inwards England, who is on his passage to Anomabo inwards the Surprise, came on board alongside me, as well as spent the even out alongside me real much to my satisfaction, beingness original of a groovy bargain of company feel as well as a politeness of behavior I seldom encounter alongside inwards whatever of our complexion hereabouts’ (Newton, 19). When Sessarakoo arrived at Anomabo his begetter replaced his elaborate English linguistic communication wearing clothing alongside African attire. To curry favour alongside his father, every bit good every bit inwards recognition of Sessarakoo's exemplary behavior as well as education, John Roberts, governor-in-chief of all the British factories maintained past times the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa on the Gold Coast, directly hired Sessarakoo every bit a writer, or clerk, for the company. His condition was acknowledged past times his name, William Ansah, ever beingness included on the listing of white, rather than African, employees of the company, though he was ever listed concluding as well as identified every bit beingness ‘black’. He also served every bit a spy for the British, reporting on French activity at Anomabo to the earl of Halifax. He died at Anomabo of unknown causes on xxx Apr 1770.
Vincent Carretta
Sources The imperial African, or, Memoirs of the immature prince of Annamaboe (1749) · E. J. P. Brown, Gold Coast as well as Asianti reader, 2 vols. (1929) · Horace Walpole's correspondence, ed. W. S. Lewis, W. H. Smith, as well as G. L. Lam (1960) · J. Newton, The mag of a slave trader, 1750–1754, ed. B. Martin as well as M. Spurrel (1962) · GM (1749–50) · General Advertiser (2 Feb 1749) · London Gazetteer (5 Apr 1749) · Whitehall Evening Post, or, London Intelligencer (2–4 Feb 1749) · TNA: PRO, ADM 1/1604, CO 267/5, T 70/988, 1477, 1478, 1517 · BL, Add MS 35397
Likenesses J. Faber the younger, portrait, mezzotint, inwards or earlier 1749 (after crude ikon past times G. Mathias), NPG, London [see illus.] · G. Mathias, portrait, oils, inwards or earlier 1749 · grouping portrait, engraving (after G. Mathais), Bridgeman Art Library, London; repro. inwards Gentleman's Magazine (1750)
© Oxford University Press 2004–14
http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=97280&back=
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