Introduction
In Slavegjort, we will learn about the harrowing journey of the slave ship Fredensborg, from its departure in Copenhagen, through the Middle Passage, to its fateful end off Tromøya. This story reveals the brutal realities of the transatlantic slave trade and its deep historical connections, including elements of modern slavery.
Triangular Trade
The slave ship Fredensborg's final journey tells a tale of a triangular trade route that never reached completion. Setting sail from Copenhagen with holds full of weapons, gunpowder, and spirits, these goods were destined for Africa's slave trade. There, they would be exchanged for human lives, ivory, and gold, before crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean plantations of St. Croix.
But instead of completing its triangle back to Copenhagen's sugar refineries, Fredensborg met its fate off Tromøya's coast. While all survived, including the captain's document-filled chest, the wreck left us with detailed accounts of an 18-month journey that illuminates a dark chapter in maritime history.
Setting Sail from Copenhagen
In midsummer Copenhagen, Fredensborg departed with 40 crew members, from its captain to a 16-year-old rookie sailor. The ship carried preserved provisions and live animals for the long journey ahead.
The era's inequality was personified by Count Schimmelmann, who displayed his wealth through silk clothes, powdered wigs, and most tellingly, an enslaved boy as a status symbol - worth as much as a small farm. His Caribbean sugar refineries served Europe's elite, as evidenced by the fine porcelain punch bowls and silver sugar tongs of the time.
Among the recovered artifacts, a single black shoe from Fredensborg's wreckage remains a haunting reminder of this dark voyage.
The Northern Detour
Curiously, Fredensborg's route to Africa began by sailing north, not south. This counterintuitive choice was actually common practice, as ships used Norway's coastline for safer navigation than the treacherous waters around Copenhagen.
Facing strong winds, the heavily laden ship sought shelter at Merdø, a strategic harbor offering multiple sailing exits. During their two-week stay, the crew replenished water and firewood, and replaced an ill crewman with Christian Runge from Arendal. Before departing, the crew attended one final service at Tromøy church, perhaps sensing the gravity of their journey ahead.
Voyage to Africa
The 103-day voyage from Copenhagen to Africa was fraught with danger. Sailors faced death from tropical diseases, accidents in the rigging, and the threat of Barbary pirates, while strict rationing of supplies meant the difference between survival and disaster.
Arriving at Ghana's Fort Christiansborg, tragedy struck as the captain and many crew members perished, forcing a seven-month delay. During this time, the ship's cargo of weapons and spirits fueled local conflicts, feeding the slave trade, while its hold filled with both human cargo and ivory destined for European luxury goods.
The Dark Transformation
Fredensborg underwent a sinister makeover during its seven-month stay in Africa. Three canvas funnels were installed above the cargo holds - not for cargo, but to provide minimal air to the human beings imprisoned below. The deck was divided by a wall topped with salt-loaded cannons, separating male slaves from women and children. A raised walkway allowed crew members to move freely while keeping their distance from those enslaved below.
By April 1768, the ship was ready for its grim purpose. Each enslaved person would be branded with the Guinea Company's mark - a heart with an "S" inside - before being forced into the hold for the brutal journey ahead.
Voyage of Suffering
In a horrifying display of inhumanity, 251 people were stripped, inspected, and branded with the Guinea Company's mark - a heart with an 'S' for slave. Men were chained in pairs and forced into the hold, while women and children received marginally more freedom of movement. The youngest children were simply abandoned on the beach.
With just 30 crew members watching over 260 enslaved people, fear dominated both sides. The crew dreaded rebellion, while the captives, stripped of all rights and separated from loved ones, faced terrifying uncertainties. Ships often departed at night to prevent suicide attempts. During the crossing, 24 enslaved people and 15 crew members would perish in the appalling conditions, where humans were treated as cargo yet needed to arrive "undamaged" for maximum profit.
Life in Christiansted
After 78 days at sea, Fredensborg reached Christiansted, St. Croix. The surviving enslaved people were prepped for auction - fed, oiled, and displayed like merchandise. The strongest commanded high prices, while children were sold in groups, including ten young ones purchased by plantation owner Burt. The sick were sold last as "waste slaves."
In this colonial society, where 90% were enslaved, life meant endless work in sugar plantations under brutal conditions. Escape attempts met severe punishment. Before departing, Fredensborg loaded its final cargo: hundreds of barrels of raw sugar, tobacco, mahogany, and dyewood, alongside African gold and ivory - though this cargo would never reach Copenhagen.
The Final Storm
Departing St. Croix in September, Fredensborg battled relentless Atlantic storms with its precious cargo and crew of 30. After a brief refuge in Sandefjord, Norway, they resumed their journey on November 28th, just days from Copenhagen. However, in the early hours of December 1st, the ship ran aground off Tromøya.
While all aboard survived - including the captain's chest with its documents and African gold - the valuable cargo was lost to the sea. Most of the sugar barrels, representing the worth of 250 farms in human trafficking profits, vanished beneath the waves. Among the survivors sheltering in Narestø, one sailor, Christian Runge, found an unexpected future in marriage to a local girl.
A Story Resurfaces
Two centuries after Fredensborg's sinking, three local divers made a remarkable discovery. Working with maritime authorities, they found an elephant tusk on the seabed - the first proof of Fredensborg's location. The subsequent excavations provided undeniable evidence of Norway's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
One diver, Leif Svalesen, dedicated his life to sharing Fredensborg's story, writing books and traveling to Ghana and St. Croix to document this dark chapter of history. While Fredensborg's journey ended in 1768, its discovery reminds us that the fight against human exploitation continues today, as modern forms of slavery persist in global supply chains.