Peter Minuit was famous as the Protestant leader of the New York Colony. He is also referred to as Peter Minuet, Pieter Minuit and Pierre Minuit

When was Peter Minuit born? He was born in 1580 - there are no records of the exact date

Where was Peter Minuit born? He was born in Wesel, in Germany

His family fled from Germany to the Netherlands to escape religious persecution from Catholics

On August 20, 1615 he married Gertrud Raetz

Peter Minuit was a merchant and undertook several journeys to East India and Brazil gaining an excellent reputation as a trader and an honest man.

Following news of the explorations of Henry Hudson a man named Hendrik Christiansen was in charge of the first Dutch expedition to the New World in 1614, on behalf of the Dutch West Indian Company. Hendrik Christiansen was killed by Native Indians and the Dutch needed a replacement.

In 1625 the Dutch West Indian Company appointed Peter Minuit as director-general of New Netherland.

He traveled to the New World under the Dutch West India Company in 1625 with two ships full of colonists.

Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan Island from Native Americans and a large settlement was established. The major port on Manhattan was named New Amsterdam which would later be changed to New York.

All land claims of the Dutch were settled under the leadership of Minuit. The colonists lived in peace with the Red Indians and the colony was successful

1631 Peter Minuit was temporarily suspended from his post. Settlers were independently trading furs rather than working for the Dutch West Indian Company. He left New Netherlands in August 1632 returning to Amsterdam to report to his superiors.

The chamber court of justice in Amsterdam decided that Minuit had been negligent and his position with the Dutch West Indian Company was terminated.

In 1638 the Swedish government engaged Peter Minuit under the Swedish West India Company to establish a colony in America. 50 colonists established a small settlement in Delaware Bay. They named the town Christina in honor of the queen of Sweden.

He did not conquer the land by force but bought it legally, as he had done before.

The colony "New Sueda" was successful and grew continuously. Peter Minuit did not repeat his pervious mistakes and ensured that furs were regularly delivered to Stockholm.

He went on a trading mission to the in the Caribbean and during the voyage there was a tropical storm and he died at sea on August 05, 1638

Conflicts developed between the colonies established at New Netherland and New Sweden.

In August 1655 the governor of New Netherlands, Peter Stuyvesant, attacked New Sweden with his army and conquered it.

In 1657 both colonies fell to England.