The Brandenburg Africa Company were the latecomers in the struggle for dominance of the Gold Coast. After landing at the village Pokesu in 1683 the Brandenburgers obtained the location where the Fort was erected in exchange for protecting the village against the Dutch and other slave traders.

Fort Grossfriedrichsburg - the only German Fort in Ghana - became the most important smuggling center along the coast by the 1690's. In 1716 the Fort was taken over by a local chief with the nickname "King of Prince's Terre". His role in the trade network was so great and powerful that it had a declining effect on other Dutch ports nearby. This resulted in a series of clashes between John Connie - the chief and the Dutch until the Fort was finally captured by the Dutch in 1724 and stayed under their control for 150 years until it was signed over to the British in 1872.