Fort de Shinkakasa
| Fort de Shinkakasa | |
|---|---|
| 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) west ofBoma, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
 | |
  Fort de Shinkakasa | |
| Coordinates | 5°51′25″S13°01′58″E/ 5.85694°S 13.03278°E |
TheFort de Shinkakasa,also calledFort Boma,was a fortification built in theCongo Free Stateto defend access to theCongo riverin 1891. It is located about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) west ofBomawhich was the capital of the Free State and later theBelgian Congofrom 1886 to 1926.
The fort was designed in a two-sided arrow shape by the Belgian engineerÉmile Wangerméewho had studied fortress design under GeneralHenri Alexis Brialmont.It was built by the Congo Free State to control access to the river, particularly against the Portuguese who occupied nearbyAngolaandCabindaand which it was feared might cut off the Congo Free State from access to theAtlantic Ocean.In fact, the confrontation between the two nations were in fact limited to exchanges of fire between light batteries and Portuguese ships.
About two hundred soldiers of the Free StateForce Publique"Compagnie d'Artillerie et de Génie" (Artillery and Engineers Company) garrison manned the fort's eight 160 millimetres (6.3 in) ship guns. In case of emergency, they were supported by localauxiliaries.[1]
Troops of various tribes were assembled there to prevent impending mutinies. They were principally from distant regions to counter any rebellion, such as theBatetela rebellionof 1885–87. Nonetheless, a major mutiny occurred among Tetela soldiers in the fort on 17 April 1900.[citation needed]
Notes
[edit]- ^Abbott, Peter (18 October 2002). Armies in East Africa 1914–18. p. 10. ISBN 1-84176-489-2.
Bibliography
[edit]- Simon, Eric,Le Fort de Shinkakasa,Bulletin d'information du CLHAM (Centre liégeois d'histoire et d'archéologie militaires), vol X, no. 10, April–June 2009, ISSN 0771-3673
- Bekers, W.; Fivez, R. (2019). "The Visual, the Accidental and the Actual in the Historiography of the Fort of Shinkakasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 1891-1909".Water, Doors, and Buildings: Studies in the History of Construction. Proceedings of the Sixth Conference of the Construction History Society. Queen's College, Cambridge, 5-7 April 2019.Construction History Society. pp. 392–406.ISBN978-0-9928751-5-2.
External links
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