Albany

Albany is the capital of New York.
Albany is the oldest surviving European settlement from the original thirteen colonies. The original native settlement in the area was called Penpotawotnot. In 1540 French traders (perhaps the first Europeans to visit the area) built a primitive fort on Castle Island; this fort was soon abandoned due to flooding. Permanent European claims began when Englishman Henry Hudson, exploring for the Dutch East India Company on the Halve Maen (or Half Moon), reached the area in 1609. In 1614, Hendrick Christiaensen rebuilt the French fort (referred to as a French chateau at the time) as Fort Nassau the first Dutch fur trading post in present-day Albany, and left Jacob Eelkens in charge. Commencement of the fur trade provoked hostility from the French colony in Canada and amongst the native tribes, who vied to control the trade. Again due to flooding the fort on Castle Island was abandoned, this time rebuilt in 1624 as Fort Orange slightly to the north. Both forts were named in honor of the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau. Nearby areas were incorporated as the village of Beverwyck in 1652.

Map of Castle Island and Fort Orange in 1629When the land was taken by the English in 1664, the name was changed to Albany, in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England and James VII of Scotland. Duke of Albany was a Scottish title given since 1398, generally to a younger son of the King of Scots. The name is ultimately derived from Alba, the Gaelic name for Scotland. The Dutch briefly regained Albany in 1673 until November 1674, during which time Albany was referred to as Willemstadt. Albany was formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas Dongan on July 22, 1686. The "Dongan Charter" was virtually identical in content to the charter awarded to the city of New York three months earlier.Pieter Schuyler was appointed first mayor of Albany the day the charter was signed.