| Rogues in Paradise

I was prompted to share this story about Spanish Caribbean History after a visit to the Spanish Naval Museum in Madrid.
https://armada.defensa.gob.es/ArmadaPortal/page/Portal/ArmadaEspannola/cienciaorgano/prefLang-en/01cienciamuseo

The model and snippets of history were fascinating, and I could have stayed much longer. Spain has a rich and complex history in the Caribean, some of which is not well known and seldom documented the history of Barbados. Here are a few memories and examples from the visit.

Spanish influenced the Caribbean

It started with Christopher Columbus, who in 1490, began to chart the seas and land from the point of his first landfall in the Bahamas to South America. This amazing work was done by Juan de la Cosa and is the oldest known chart to feature a map of America. He created it in 1500 in the port city of El Puerto de Santa María. It was the most complete detail of the region at the time, including detail of the vast empires of the English and the Portuguese in addition to Spain.

: Juan de La Cosa

: Story of Mapping

: The Globe Map

Juan De La Cosa maps and this impressive globe was likely created to show the Catholic Monarchs the vastness of their growing overseas empire- this would explain its size, the richness of the materials used, and the thoroughness of the geographic information contained in it. The Spanish were the first to chart the region, which would be a testing ground for all the world’s navies in the decade ahead.

Christopher Columbus’ Ship – Santa María

Christopher Columbus chose the Santa Maria as his ship because it was the largest of 3 vessels on 0ffer for his voyage to the new world in 1492. Santa María was the largest of the three Spanish ships used by Christopher Columbus on this voyage across the Atlantic. The other ships were the Niña and the Pinta. Santa María was owned by Juan de la Cosa and requisitioned by order of Queen Isabella and by contract with Christopher Columbus. The Santa María became Columbus’s flagship on the voyage, but it ran aground on the shores of Haiti on Christman of 1492. This was the fault of the inexperience of the helmsman. Sanat Maria sadly was taken apart to build Fort Navidad in a native Taíno village. This was the first Spanish settlement in the New World. Because of this, Columbus concluded that the shipwreck was fate and left the hull stranded on the shore.

: Inscription

: Model of Santa Maria

: Painting of Santa Maria

England War in the Caribbean

Britain was just one of the 4 major contenders who fought to establish a presence in the Caribbean. The British Navy sent its skilled sailors, trained to defeat the Spanish Armada, the French, and the Dutch and secure British dominance in the region. The Naval battles lasted for decades, with England standing alone against the joint forces of the French And Spanish on many occasions and joining forces with the French against the Spanish at times. Islands changed hands between the Spanish, French, Dutch, and English as battles were won and lost, and land battalions were built and captured in swift succession.

The Spanish had established a firm foothold, and up to the late 19th century, Spain controlled the Caribbean Islands of the Greater Antilles and the land and islands along the Caribbean’s southern coast, along with the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike the British, French, and Dutch. Spain’s Caribbean colonies were not organized as a regional unit. Regions now part of Colombia, Venezuela, the Gulf of Mexico, and the United States of America was then considered part of the Caribbean, which was conquered by the Spanish and considered part of Spain’s America Empire.

The discovery of the new world began in the Caribbean with the settlement of Española during the 1490s it ended with the loss of Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1898.

: English Ship at War

: Cannons Blasting

: Life Boats in Action

Spanish Naval Museum

Between 1654 and 1660, the English under Oliver Cromwell engaged in a fierce Naval conflict with the Spanish in the Caribbean. The War with Spain was sparked by commercial rivalry. Both sides resorted to privateering and naval expeditions to attack each other’s commercial and colonial interests. England had settled Barbados in 1627 with some controversy but little external conflict.

In 1655, an English amphibious expedition invaded Spanish territory in the Caribbean. In 1657, England allied with France, causing the Anglo-Spanish War to merge with the larger Franco-Spanish War.

The conflict escalated into major land invasions in the Spanish Netherlands. The war officially concluded after the Restoration of King Charles II of England in 1660. However, tensions in the Caribbean persisted, prolonging the intermittent conflict for over a decade. Ultimately, the war ended by signing two peace treaties at Madrid in 1667 and 1670.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Spanish_War_(1654%E2%80%931660)

Spain’s Early Excursion to Barbados

Juan De La Cosa – 1492 Globe

Spain was the first European country to land in Barbados- There are contradictory reports on this, with some claiming Portugal was the first. But authoritative sources like Oxford University, Globalsecirity, and Sacco agree that Spain was the first to land in Barbados. I have reviewed dozens of accounts, and they are wild differences. According to the authority accounts, the Spanish arrived to find the land inhabited by the Kaligano People, who they captured and carted off to help build the new world in the Americas. The Amerindians had discovered and settled the island centuries before the Kaligano but were wiped out by the fierce warriors of the Kaligano.

The Spanish did not stay long in the island as they saw far greater potential in America, which they proceeded to colonize. The Portuguese, arriving after the Spanish had left, named Barbados the bearded one, after the Bearded Fig Trees, which still grow in Barbados. The island was uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived. They also only stayed briefly, leaving just a few pigs and hardly a trace of their presence when they left.

Both Spain and Portugal had claimed Barbados as part of their respective empires. Still, both saw little potential for the tiny Caribbean Island set far off the Caribbean chain and upwind of the prevailing trade winds. Barbados was hard to get to and had little to offer.

Read more about the history of the people of Barbados in the book Rogues in Paradise. A thoughtful, funny, and provocative story of the people of Barbados. Readers will find themselves in an evolving world that explores and explains surprising truths about its History, heritage, and culture.

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The British did not think Barbados was too hard to get to. In fact, a more remote location could be seen as an asset, and if it was harder to get to it was a safer port. Their business advisers saw its potential as a trading post. It was not planned with any precision, but things evolved to make the island the most strategic British colony. With several failed attempts to grow tobacco and cotton and experiments with other crops, the coral rock flat land had the perfect climate and condition for growing sugar cane.

Making sugar and rum became a most profitable undertaking.

The Unknown Legacy of Spanish Influence

Let me tell you about Spain’s much-overlooked impact on the History of the Caribbean and America! Their naval prowess was so mighty that it kept the British at bay, meaning they had fewer resources to throw at the American rebels fighting against British colonialism. As a result, British forces were spread thin across a vast territory, weakening them in America.

Americas War of Independence occurred from April 19, 1775 to September 3, 1783. The American forces under George Washington defeated the British and established the United States as independent. The British had had enough of war and were drained by the constant struggle with the Spanish and French. Can you imagine what would have happened if the British Navy had been successful? North America may have fallen under Spanish or French rule, and the United States might never have been born as we know it! But the battle for domination in the Caribbean wasn’t over yet. France and England engaged in ongoing battles for naval supremacy, with the Caribbean waters as their ultimate arena.

It was a fierce fight, but the British emerged victorious in the end! Even in times of political uncertainty and loss of colonial power, the British were able to maintain control thanks to their critical defeat of the French fleet in the Caribbean by Admiral Rodney. And let’s not forget that this victory was instrumental in keeping the British flag high over Gibraltar.

So there it is! The influence of Spain and the naval battles of the Caribbean may have changed the course of history. Who knows what could have happened if the winds of fortune had blown in a different direction?

Summary Video

The Book Rogues in Paradise

Rogues in Paradise will take you on a journey through time as we explore this fantastic place’s fascinating History, heritage, and culture. From the first inhabitants, the Amerindians, to the arrival of the English and the slave trade, Barbados has a rich and complex past that has shaped its present.

This thoughtful, funny, and provocative story takes you on a journey of discovery, exploring this stunning island’s fascinating history, rich heritage, and vibrant culture. Through the eyes of its diverse and dynamic people, you’ll witness an evolving world that is constantly pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers. You’ll learn surprising truths about the island’s past, from its colonial roots to its people’s modern-day struggles and triumphs.

Download Free Sample Chapter & Invitation to Launch

But it’s not all serious history lessons. Whether through the lively music and dance or the mouthwatering flavors of Bajan cuisine, you’ll experience this wonderful island’s unique and infectious spirit. Along the way, you’ll be entertained by the locals’ witty banter and humorous antics, which never fail to bring a smile to your face.

As you journey through Barbados, you’ll discover a familiar and exotic world where the old and the new blend seamlessly. You’ll leave with a newfound appreciation for this island’s gems, people, and culture and a desire to return again and again.

Spanish Caribbean History - From Columbus

Spanish influenced the Caribbean

Christopher Columbus’ Ship – Santa María

England War in the Caribbean

Spain’s Early Excursion to Barbados

The Unknown Legacy of Spanish Influence

Summary Video

The Book Rogues in Paradise

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