ANTIGUA
Lush green rolling hills and scores of coves mark the islands of Antigua (pronounced an-TEE-Ga or an-TEE-Gwa) and nearby Barbuda. Most of the coast of Antigua is a treacherous approach for seafarers, being ringed by shoals and large coral reefs. Pirates, in their shallower-draft ships (such as barques and sloops) can negotiate these reefs however, to make use of the numerous coves for shelter.
Antigua's skyline is dominated by Boggy Peak, which rises to 1300 feet above sea level. Antigua is 16 miles from east to west at its widest point.
Settled by the English in 1632, Antigua is a very important colony. It serves as a re-supply depot for vessels of the admiralty when in the Lesser Antilles. Antigua's center of population is the town of St. John, while nearby Barbuda is unsettled by Europeans.
A center for agriculture and shipping for the Lesser Antilles, Antigua has a large population of African and native slaves there for working the fields and docks. Slaves outnumber settlers by a ratio of seven to one and as such are treated very well by Caribbean standards.
The current Governor is not authorized to issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal so ships which have preyed on other vessels will not be rewarded or subsidized, but no one will question the sale of plundered goods.
Antigua has a large native population of colorful parrots which are very popular with the sailors of the region.
In the early 18th century, Antigua becomes an important naval base for the English and the native parrot species becomes extinct.
ARUBA
West of Curaçao lies Aruba, a dry, flat, barren island with little in the way of vegetation. Aruba is noted for the great boulders which litter the island.
Aruba was settled halfheartedly by the Dutch in 1634, who quickly became at odds with the local population of Arawak tribesmen. The two populations have had little in the way of open hostility but steer clear of each other when possible.
Aruba has a third group of inhabitants: Pirates. The island has nothing that passes for a proper town or port, only a few fishing villages and plantations. Pirates, therefore have made Aruba a center for activity, turning many villages into small havens. Despite this, Aruba is still not as large a center for Pirates as Port-Royal, Nassau or Tortuga, nor as lawless.
Aruba has an inflated economy due to the pirate presence.
BARBADOS
Named for its native bearded figs by Portuguese sailors who stopped there during the Spanish colonization, Barbados is Portuguese for 'bearded.' Covered in low vegetation and weak, thin trees, Barbados lies low in the water, having no large mountains and only a small rise.
Barbados is partially surrounded by reefs on the eastern and southern shores. These shores face the Atlantic Ocean and the reefs provide some protection and shelter from waves.
Barbados never changed hands during the period. It was settled in 1627 by the English and soon after, Dutch Jews also came and made the island their home. Two small towns serve the population; Holetown is the home to many of the English and Bridgetown is home to many of the Jews.
The two populations of settlers interact peacefully and there is little strife or contention between the two
BELIZE
The only English settlement on the coast of Central America, Belize is on the southeast shore of the Yucatan peninsula in New Spain. Belize is characterized by rugged highlands covered heavily with trees (softwoods and hardwoods).
English loggers settled in this Spanish-claimed territory in 1660 and began to set up their business of cutting and milling trees. Spanish authorities have tried on several occasions to get the loggers to leave, but have not yet used military force.
Throughout the period, as time progresses, this settlement will become a point of contention between the Spanish and the English.
The loggers main port village is St. George's Cay, which has a dedicated sawmill for the production of lumber.
The loggers coexist with some Spanish settlers who have moved to St. George's Cay. Also living in the vicinity is a large native population of Mayan Indians. The Indian population a disease epidemic (brought by the Spanish originally), but the plague (influenza) in the late 17th century passed within a few years and the Mayans became much more evident and began trading with the English settlers.
BERMUDA
Bermuda is a low, sandy coral island covered with a tropical forest. Low lying vegetation and scrub lies beneath the canopy and on the beaches, almost reaching to the ocean.
Bermuda was settled in 1612 by the English and serves as its main staging point for colonization of the Caribbean and Southern North America. Slaves from India and Africa were brought in 1616 and Bermuda became a center for English slavers for a short while but this has since ended, as has slave-taking from India. Some Hindus still hive on the island, but many have since returned to Asia.
The royal admiralty keeps a few of its larger vessels here as a reserve for several nearby areas (Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Antigua, Nevis, and Nassau) and the King has appointed a Governor.
Bermuda is a stopping point for ships of all nations on the way from Europe to the Caribbean and back.
BONAIRE
Lying on the southeast flank of Curaçao, Bonaire serves as a haven for the less savory persons of the Caribbean. Bonaire is dotted with low hills and little in the way of vegetation. Farming is difficult here but not impossible and only done for subsistence.
Bonaire was settled by the Dutch in 1634 and it is considered part of the colony at Curaçao. Bonaire is home to the region's biggest slave market. Slave ships from Africa and South America call at this port making it unnaturally busy.
Bonaire has no natural fresh water and is essentially a desolate island.
CARACAS
A large settlement and port on the north coast of Venezuela, Caracas is surrounded by verdant tropical forests and farmlands. Near the old settlement of Borburata, Caracas has in recent years become more and more important to the Spanish and is one of the preeminent trading ports on the Spanish Main. Caracas has a moderately sheltered deep harbor and a steady supply of fresh water from mountain streams and inland lakes.
Caracas was not officially settled but formed as much of the population of Borburata migrated there over the last few decades. Borburata was founded in 1525. Caracas is important to the economy of New Andalusia (Venezuela) and is steadily growing in power.
As with all important Spanish ports, Caracas is under the imposition of the averia (see Cartagena) and smuggling is a lucrative trade.
CARTAGENA
East of Panama on the northwest coast of South America lies the citadel of Cartagena. Built into a deep sheltered harbor, Cartagena is home to the largest fortification in the New World at the time.
Cartagena lies 250 miles to the East of Panama and can be reached from there by land or sea.
Cartagena is part of the colony of New Granada and is answerable to the viceroyalty in Panama. It was settled in 1533 and has never been completely taken, although a number of raids on the fortress and the harbor have resulted in the city becoming very heavily defended.
Cartagena is the departure point for the flota, the Spanish 'plate fleet,' or treasure fleet. The flota carries the riches of The South American tribes to Europe late every summer. The treasure fleet sails for Cartagena west to the coast of New Spain and then north along the coast to Cape Catoche (The extreme northeast of the Yucatan), where it turns to east by northeast and sails for Havana, where it waits for the winds to change to favor sailing to Spain.
Cartagena is extremely wealthy and is home to a great many Spanish noblemen living in the New World.
Cartagena is under the press of the Spanish tax known as the averia, which is levied on imports and exports by the throne of Spain to pay for escort ships on convoys leaving New Granada and New Spain. The averia results in many prices being greatly inflated and profits being very low for many captains.
This situation leads to a common opportunity at Spanish ports: the noblemen want the luxury goods that they are accustomed to at home in Spain. The goods are heavily taxed for import, making them cost more for the nobles to purchase. The nobles, however, are responsible for collecting and enforcing this tax. Because of this, corruption runs rampant through the nobility and bureaucracy and smugglers can make a fortune in Cartagena.
CUBA
The largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba is 780 miles long and averages about 60 miles wide. It has several small chains of mountains and is covered with softwood tropical forests. Animal and plant life in enormous variety inhabit the island interior and the numerous deep harbors are known for good fishing.
The island is home to several score villages, many specializing in either fishing or farming and two major cities: La Habana (Havana) and Santiago de Cuba (Santiago).
Cuba was founded in 1511 and is the staging area for all Spanish commercial and military ventures into the New World.
Havana
Nearly on the northernmost point of Cuba, The Cuban capitol Havana is just 100 short miles from Florida. Havana is built on the shores of a landlocked deep harbor guarded by a quartet of fortresses. The city is home to nearly 10,000 Spanish and natives and is one of the largest cities in the New World. Havana is almost completely self sufficient and thrives on commence with New Spain, Hispaniola, and Spain. Havana was founded by Diego Velazquez in 1515.
The four fortresses guarding the harbor entrance and Havana make an attack difficult if not impossible. They are the Castillo de ha Fuerza (Castle of Strength), Castillo de la Punta (Castle of the Point), Fortaleza de La Cabana (Fortress of the House), and Castillo del Morro (Castle of the Boar Snout). Havana itself is also surrounded by a wall and a battery of large (36 pound) cannons.
Havana is the last stop that the flota, or treasure fleet, makes before returning to Spain. Each August or September, the flota travels up the Mexican coast to Cuba and makes harbor there waiting for the weather to be proper for departure. Despite this, the flota is frequently slowed by autumn storms and threatening hurricanes.
Havana is under the influence of the avaria and all import and export of goods is subject to the duty. Havana has much of the flavor of castillian Spain and many nobles live there to purchase smuggled goods.
Santiago
On the southern coast of Cuba, Santiago is a major center of commercial and military activity. Santiago was founded in 1514 and was the capitol of Cuba until 1589. Lying in a river valley in the Sierra Maestra chain of mountains, it is ideal for military excursions into the Caribbean Sea. Santiago has become more relaxed than other Spanish ports and the avaria is not as enforced here as in other places.
Santiago is a prosperous port city and nearly any good may be purchased or sold here (although the price may not be a bargain). Morro Castle stands guard over the harbor.
Santiago is home to many of the least appealing of Spanish sailors; crews may even be able to hire from this population. Santiago is home to innumerable taverns, bars, and tap houses which may get characters into any amount of trouble.
CUMANA
The easternmost anchor in New Andalusia for Spanish ships, Cumana boasts a deep natural harbor on a rocky coastline. Facing eastward, Cumana harbor is an ideal stopping point for ships of many flags returning from the eastern coast of South America.
Founded in 1503 by the Spanish as a self-supporting fanning community, Cumana has become a center of conflict between the Dutch and the Spanish. The reason for this is that while Cumana was found to have less than ideal soils for crops, the land was ideal for the growing of tobacco. Cumana is the largest producing tobacco colony for the Spanish and is therefore heavily taxed to help pay the cost of colonization and escort ships. Dutch smugglers have taken advantage of this and routinely smuggle entire shiploads of tobacco out of Cumana.
Cumana's deep, clear harbor and rocky sea bottom is an ideal nesting ground for pearl oysters. Cumana boasts a massive pearl fishery waiting to be harvested but jealously guarded by The Spanish authorities.
To aid in the protection of the fisheries, protect the east of New Andalusia (Venezuela), and stop smugglers, the Viceroyalty of New Granada (which oversees Venezuela) has stationed a garrison at Cumana and built a pair of forts to guard the harbor.
CURAÇAO
Curaçao is the greatest free port in the Caribbean. Built onto the southwest side of a low, sparsely vegetated island, Curaçao overlooks a sheltered, deep harbor. Due to the prevailing winds and the local weather, this little harbor is commonly believed to be the best natural harbor in the Caribbean, Little rain falls on Curaçao but crops will still grow, as the soil is more fertile than nearby Aruba and Bonaire
Settled by the Spanish in 1527, Curaçao was captured by the Dutch in a surprise attack following the Twelve Years Peace in 1634. It was formally ceded in 1648 by the Treaty of Munster.
The Governor-General of the Dutch West India Company reside here and is authorized to issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal for ships of Spanish flag.
Curaçao is a center for smuggling activity and is home to the largest black market in the New World. Anything can be bought or sold here, from prisoners to parrots.
Ships of all types and sizes can be found in the harbor and the Governor-General owns a pair of 44-gun frigates to help keep the peace between ships in the Harbor. Nearly one-third of all buildings in the port are taverns and revelry lasts around the clock.
Any good can be sold in Curaçao at about three-quarters of it's average price, regardless of the supply or demand. Any object, of any quality, can be purchased in Curaçao but the price is the issue.
ELEUTHERA(Bahamas)
Eleuthera is a very large cay (low coral island with no rivers and little fresh water). Covered with a thick layer of green vegetation, Eleuthera has to date been very difficult to colonize. Seabirds and reptiles compose the bulk of the inhabitants.
Eleuthera is claimed by the English, but was not colonized officially until the 1690s. Pirates and privateers, however, have already found a use for the many sheltered coves on the coast. Small huts (most are uninhabited) can be found along many coves and hermits abound on the interior. The few permanent inhabitants serve the pirates at their small anchorages. These tiny communities can become boom-towns during the late summer as pirates gather to ambush the flota (Spanish treasure fleet) as it sails through the Florida straits.
GRAN GRANADA
One of a number of small towns on the north coast of Panama in New Granada. Panama and the surrounding villages were founded inn 1519 and 1520 by the Spanish. Gran Granada boasts little in the way of luxury and has a sizable population of local Aztec and Olmec tribesmen.
Gran Granada is typical of any number of fishing towns and small ports in New Spain or New Granada.
GRAND BAHAMA
Like Eleuthera, Grand Bahama is a large cay. Grand Bahama has a covering of low vegetation and is surrounded by deep coral reefs and shallows, making ideal for shallow-draft sailing ships like the barque.
Grand Bahama has little in the way of animals on it but the surrounding waters have the best fisheries inn the Bahamas.
Grand Bahama was the first of the Bahama islands settled officially but when the English arrived in 1648, there was already a thriving community of Pirates there numbering in the l00s. The colony is struggling but morale is high due to the benevolent environment.
The Bahamas were abandoned in the last years of the 17th Centuury due to the Spanish War of succession and most of the inhabitants fled south to Nevis or Antigua.
GRENADA
Mount Saint Catherine dominates the skyline of volcanic Grenada, farthest south of the Windward Isles of the Lesser Antilles. The peak is one of three which runs the length of the island (21 miles north to south) and stands at 2,757 feet. Rich green forests and verdant shrubbery covers the slopes of the mountains. All shores but the westernmost are rife with shallow coves guarded by treacherous reefs.
Grenada was settled by the French Governor of Martinique in 1650 and one of his lieutenants runs the island in his behalf. The majority of the inhabitants are second generation colonists and slaves, with slaves out-numbering settlers three to one.
Grenada's population is divided amongst a number of plantations which farm and grow spices (cloves). Fresh water bubbles from springs in the mountainsides and the spices grown here are much sought after in New Spain and Curaçao.
GUADELOUPE
Separated by the Riviere-Salee, the islands of Grande-Terre (in the northeast) and Basse-Terre (in the southwest) compose the colony of Guadeloupe. Basse-Terre is topped by eight peaks with the second to southernmost, the volcano Soufriere, being the tallest. Grande-Terre is characterized by low hills which hide it behind Basse-Terre and like many of the less mountainous windward isles, the eastern half is a great salt-water bog.
South of Basse-Terre rest the rocky Isles des les Saintes, which make navigating the southern coast of Basse-Terre a difficult prospect for deep-draft ships.
Settled by French patriots and Catholics in 1635, Guadeloupe is most like France of all her colonies in the Caribbean. This includes the religious makeup of the population with a Catholic majority which makes Huguenots and other Protestants unwelcome. The capitol is the town of Basse-Terre on the southwest coast of the island of the same name. Several other towns and villages dot the shoreline of both islands with Pointe-A-Pitre being the largest settlement on Grande-Terre.
The interior mountainous region of Basse-Terre is home to several tribes of Caribe. These tribes are extremely hostile to non-natives and constantly raid the French settlements.
The Cardinal of Paris commissioned a Cathedral in Basse-Terre (the commissioning was in 1641 by the infamous Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richlieu) which is nearly completed. The cathedral is one of the highlights of the city and is a landmark in the Windward Isles.
Basse-Terre is home to a large, well-armed, and veteran French garrison as well as several ships of the line (48 gun and 36 gun frigates as well as a score of Brigantines). The garrison at Basse-Terre is strong enough for the Governor to be able to invade almost any small island (save Curaçao) and to repel nearly any raid by pirates. Any raiders will be pursued and probably caught (Brigs are known for being agile and fast).
The Governor of Guadeloupe is empowered to grant letters of Marque and Reprisal against the Spanish, as well as Letters for most ships of less common nationality. Although Swedish ships are rarely seen, the Governor is loyal to his King and will pay reward for any looted or sunk.
Basse-Terre has a strong economy and is largely self-sufficient.
HISPANIOLA
The second largest island in the Caribbean, Hispaniola is home to several important colonies and a dozen major settlements. This island was first settled by Bartholomew Columnbus (Christopher' s brother) at Santo Domingo in 1496. Other settlements were founded by the Spanish at Isabella, La Vega, and Puerto de Plata.
French Huguenot settlers fleeing religious persecution came to Hispaniola in the early 1600s and built colonies at Point-de-Paix, Port-au-Prince, and Petit Goave. In 1697, the eastern third of the island was formally ceded to France by Spain.
The island has a very large population of Arawak tribes-men who are periodically hunted by the Spanish and who stage raids on the Spanish settlements regularly. The Arawaks understand the difference between the French and Spanish and conduct some peaceful trade with the French Huguenots.
ISABELLA
A small town of slowly diminishing influence and power on the north coast of the island, Isabella is named for the queen of Spain. Isabella has a sizable population of poor Spaniards, but is mostly forgotten by the Captaincy-General at Havana (which oversees the government of Hispaniola). Isabella hosts a frightening number of pirate raids each year and rarely has anything other than food to steal.
SANOT DOMINGO
The titular capitol of Spanish Hispaniola, Santo Domingo is the only major port on the southern coast. Spanish vessels regularly trade between Santo Domingo and nearby San Juan, making Santo Domingo self-sufficient.
Santo Domingo is the oldest settlement in the New World. The governor of Santo Domingo rules Hispaniola in the name of the Captaincy-General in Havana.
The averia is in effect in Santo Domingo but is not at as high of a rate as in other ports (those along the Spanish Main). Nobles, however as always, are subject to corruption and bribery.
PUERTO de PLATA
A prominent port on the northern coast, Puerto de Plata is a vital link to Florida, Havana, and San Juan.
LA VEGA
La Vega is a small settlement upriver on the Rio D'yuna. It is a haven for smugglers and buccaneers but is difficult for large vessels to reach. The Rio D'yuna empties into the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and San Juan Island. La Vega serves as a clearing house for illegal and stolen goods.
Spanish law and the Inquisition have not made any presence here and the place is remarkably lawless for a Spanish town.
PORT-de_PAIX
The largest and most important French settlement in Hispaniola is Port-de-Paix (Port of Peace). It lies on the north coast, within sight of the pirate haven of Tortuga. The majority of the population is French Huguenot, although slaves for agriculture are being imported in astonishing numbers.
The Huguenots enjoy an odd kind of protection from the Spanish, they are protected by the pirates and the Arawak Indians. In exchange for food, the pirate lords of Tortuga keep the waterway clear of Spanish ships (even the merchants!). The pirates are tolerated here, unlike the rest of French Hispaniola. Recreational drinking, however, is frowned upon.
Port-de-Paix is one of the most 'civilized' towns in Hispaniola having a strong rule of law and a structured society. Protestant ministers and elders, along with their followers, hold all political power in French Hispaniola.
PETIT GOAVE
Located on the south coast, Petit Goave is the largest of the Huguenot settlements. The town is in the process of driving the local buccaneers inland and east, making the town more 'civilized.' Pirates are not tolerated and crewmen who do not look presentable and dignified will not be given any kind of notice or service.
Rowdy and violent behavior will be punished severely, with sentences of floggings and weeks in the stocks being common.
PORT-AU-PRINCE
Located on the Bay de St. Marc, Port-au-Prince is a small farming and fishing community . The population is almost entirely Huguenot and the town has an attitude of intolerance towards Pirates and sailors in general .
The rules and operation of the town are very similar to Petit Goave.
Rowdy and violent behavior will be punished severely, with sentences of floggings and weeks in the stocks being common.
NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND(Nassau)
An Island of some 60 square miles, 200 miles east of Florida. The chief city (called Nassau from 1695) is the capitol of the Bahamas. British pirates careened their ships and obtained supplies at the Bahamas from the 1670's. In 1716 Nassauu became the most important Pirate Haven in the Americas.
Located near major trade routes, New Providence offered fresh water, wood, Fruit, and meat from wild hogs and cattle. Nassau's harbour could take 500 small vessels but was too shallow for naval battleships. Hog Island divided it into two inlets, so at least two warships were needed for an effective blockade.
Although British settlers arrived in the 1640's, plantations never prospered on the small islands. Until 1717, the Bahamas were privately owned. The absentee landlords ignored their island possessions and sent ineffective governors who accepted pirate bribes.
Buccaneers moved to Nassau in the 1680's as Jamaican authorities cracked down on piracy. After Thomas Pain raided Florida, two Spanish expeditions sacked Nassau in 1684, but British pirates returned in 1686. Others moved in from French Tortuga when France and Britain were at war in 1689.
These Nassau pirates operated on a small scale. Despite the island's natural riches and tolerant government, most raiders preferred ports in British North America. From 1680, pirates left the over-plundered Caribbean to raid in the Pacific or the Indian Ocean. To get a better price, they fenced their exotic booty at major American ports, many of which condoned piracy. The governors of New York and Boston sold fake privateering commisions, and prominent merchants openly brought pirate booty. Only Henry Every sold his loot at the Bahamas (in 1696) because he did not trust mainland officials.
Spanish expeditions raided New Providence in 1703, 1704 and 1706 during the War of the Spanish Succession. There was no governor after 1704, and the few remaining inhabitants appreciated the money the pirates brought in. When the war ended in 1714, hundreds offormer privateers marauder. Because mainland colonieshad turned honest, they operated from Nassau.
Henry Jennings settled at New Providence in about 1716. By 1717, 500 or 600 pirates sailed from Nassau. Dozens of captains ravaged shipping in the West Indies and along the American coast from Florida to Maine. Nassau became the centre of piracy in the Caribbean.
NEVIS & ST. KITTS
Nevis and St. Kitts lie in the upper portion of the Lesser Antilles along the southern side. The two islands are within two miles of each other and have very similar economies.
St. Kitts, also known as St. Christopher, is a long, oval shaped island with several volcanic peaks rising from its base. The tallest is Mt. Misery, standing over 3,200 feet above sea level. St. Kitts is covered with fresh and saltwater lakes and plantations can be seen from the sea to the south.
Nevis is circular, formed by the 3,200 foot Nevis Peak rising from the Caribbean. The sides of the mountain are covered with a lush vegetation that is regularly broken by sugar plantations.
Nevis was founded by the British in 1628 and St. Kitts by the French in 1627. St. Kitts was, in 1664, controlled by the English but boasted a French majority. In late 1665, St. Kitts was invaded by the French, who also blockaded Nevis for six months. The French blockade was to keep the English from using it as a base to retake St. Kitts. Eventually, the English retook it, but the attack came from nearby Antigua
The populations of both islands are dominated by a large African slave population.
American patriot Alexander Hamilton will be born on Nevis in 1757 and Lord Horatio Nelson will marry his wife here in 1787. Nevis is rife with the relatives of English nobility and the entire colony has an air of dignity about it.
PANAMA
The central and prominent region of the Spanish colony of New Granada, Panama is home to three major settlements: Nombre de Dios, Puerto Bello, and Panama. Panama is ruled by the Viceroy of New Granada.
The jungles and fens of Panama are home to the insidious mosquito which brings malaria. Hundreds die each year of the disease. Any white man traveling through the Isthmus of Panama has a chance of contracting Malaria.
Panama
On the southern coast of the isthmus of Panama lies the city of the same name. Panama overlooks the Pacific Ocean and was founded in 1519 by Pedro Arias Davila. It is a port for Spanish treasure ships sailing from Peru and Chile to the Caribbean. Ships are off loaded at Panama and the cargo is carried 50 miles overland to Nombre de Dios, a seven day journey on foot, through jungle.
In 1671, Welsh Privateer Henry Morgan, under orders from Jamaican Governor Thomas Modyford, sacked and destroyed Panama with a force of 2,000 men and 36 ships. Morgan was made a Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica for this and other actions in the name of England, although he was later shipped home and arrested.
Panama suffers under the avaria and all goods are heavily taxed. Smuggling into Panama is a difficult task at best due to The overland journey.
Nombre De Dios
Formerly the preeminent port on the north coast of Panama, Nombre de Dios was mercilessly plundered repeatedly and a new port was built nearby in Puerto Bello.
Puerto Bello
An exit point for treasure heading towards Cartagena, Puerto Bello is a moderately sheltered and well fortified port on the north coast of Panama. Puerto Bello was once frequently attacked by pirates and has since been fortified by a garrison.
The avaria is effect here and smuggling is possible.
PORT ROYAL
Arguably the largest English city in the New World, Port-Royal sits on a narrow spit of land jutting westward from the southeast corner of Jamaica. Port-Royal sits in a rather desolate part of the Jamaican coast but the Location is singularly defensible. The harbor is deep and defensible with good winds and shelter from the weather.
The island of Jamaica is roughly rectangular with mountains along the coast rising to a plateau rich in limestone and bauxite. The central mountain region of the plateau is thickly forested and home to a large population of escaped slaves and surviving natives.
The island of Jamaica was settled in 1509 by Juan de Esquivel. The Spanish held it for more than a century until 1655 when an English squadron landed in what is now Kingston. The small army sacked and burned the Spanish settlements, conquering the island. Spain has never retaken the island.
The soldiers set up the city of Port-Royal and the colony begins the cultivation of sugarcane. This income is soon augmented by a growing level of privateering based in Port-Royal.
By the 1660s, Port-Royal is the greatest pirate haven in the Caribbean and her governor, Thomas Modyford hands out Letters of Marque and Reprisal to any man with a boat who can keep an oath not to attack English ships. Port-Royal becomes known as the 'wickedest town on Earth.'
The population of Port-Royal numbers about 7,500 permanent residents with nearly 5,000 men in the garrison. From 2,000 to 5,000 sailors roam the streets and alleyways each night adding even more to the population.
On June 7, 1692, a large part of Port-Royal is forcibly removed from the Earth by a devastating earthquake which slumps most of the town into the sea. Thousands are killed and Port-Royal is never fully rebuilt. Huguenots claim that the earthquake is the work of God. The British throne, being ever so much more prudent, does very little to help in rebuilding and instead turns its attention to it's number two colony: Massachusetts. The city has been rebuilt by the beginning of the early 18th century and has become more respectable, becoming one of the main bases against Piracy, although many pirates still frequent the dockside inns, taverns and brothels.
Anything can be sold in Port-Royal. The only factor is the price. Any goods may be bought in Port-Royal at base price.
Crews can be recruited in Port-Royal, but be warned: the scum of Port-Royal are some of the worst on Earth.
SAINT THOMAS
Mountainous and sparsely covered in forest, St. Thomas has several low peaks which dominate its silhouette. St. Thomas Harbor is a well-sheltered deep water harbor, peeking out between St. Thomas proper and the smaller, uninhabited Hassel Island. The island is semi-arid and the vegetation is sparse besides trees.
St. Thomas was settled by the Dutch in 1657 and soon became home to several bands of English pirates. The island's population is mainly Danish (with Dutch and Portuguese Jews .living there as well) and in 1672 the Danish India Company purchased the island. In 1674 the King of Denmark purchased the island and named the Port Charlotte Amalie, after his wife. Many nobles at the time believed that he purchased the island for the express purpose of naming the port as such.
Because the Danish Navy did not operate as far south as the Caribbean (and was embroiled in a bitter war against the Swedes), the King empowered the Governor of the Danish West Indies (who resided in Charlotte Amalie) to issue Letters of Marque at his discretion.
The island became a haven for pirates to rival Tortuga and is home to a black market nearly as large as Curaçao.
St. Thomas is the only whole colony in the Caribbean not controlled by the French, English, Dutch, or Spanish. It was the extent of the Danish colonial empire at the time of its founding. St. Thomas is home to a very eclectic and moderately interesting array of people. The nearest other port that is not controlled by the 'big four' (France, Spain, Britain, or the Netherlands) is the Portuguese colony at Buenos Aires, in Brazil.
TORTUGA
A large (about 85 square miles) and rocky Island, separated by a narrow channel from the northwestern coast of Hispaniola. The island's name (Île de la Tortue, "Turtle Island") refers to its shape. Viewed from Hispaniola, it resembles a monster sea turtle floating upon the waves.
Tortuga initially served as a haven for cattle huntes on Hispaniola. The Spanish government, based at Santo Domingo, had abandoned western Hispaniola in 1605, but the colonial militia continued to attack the hunters. Mountainous and inaccesible to the north, and with only one harbour on the south, Tortuga offered safe refuge. By the 1620's, cattle hunters had a rough place of settlement near the harbour, where they sold hides to visiting merchants.
Sea rovers passing through from Europe found Tortuga a convenient harbour. The island provides good access around northern Hispaniola to the coast of Central America. To the south, Cuba and Mexico are easily reached through the Windard Passage, although the return journey against the wind is difficult. The Tortuga huntsmen soon began to supplement their income by piracy. By the late 1620's, Dutch fleets had weakened Spanish naval power, encouraging freelance marauders. To end raids from Tortuga, troops from Santo Domingo invaded the island in late 1630. But the islanders simply fled to the hills, returning as soon as the Spanish ships had left.
From 1631 to 1635, Tortuga was protected by the Providence Company, which already had a base on (Old) Providence Island, off the Honduran coast. Anthony Hilton, a former ship captain persuaded the Company to adopt Tortuga and was appointed governor. Hilton, a most persuasive rogue, had quarreled with the Barbados government and founded a colony on Nevis in 1628. He was chased away by the Spanish the following year, leaving behind large debts in Nevis and Saint Kitts.
The agreement with the Company was a rue to protect Hilton's bucanner associates. Hilton (who died in 1634) never paid the Company for the cannon and ammunition it supplied. The Puritain minister sent by the Company fled after two years to escape his unruly flock!
Guided by an Irish sailor who had quarreled with Hilton, a force from Santo Domingo sacked the Tortuga settlement in 1635. Spanish ships attacked again in 1635 and killed any of the inhabitants they could find. Soon after, a Captain Roger Flood arrived with 300 settlers from Nevis. The Frenchmen still living on Tortuga claimed Flood abused them, forcing them to flee to Hispaniola.
The French inhabitants requested aid from Philippe de Poincy, the French governor-general. To solve his own political problems, de Poincy appointed Jean Le Vasseur governor in 1642. Le Vasseur, a skilled engineer, built an impregnible fortress near the harbour and cut all ties with France. During the next 12 years the Island became the capitol of Caribbean Piracy.
Le Vasseur was killed by two of his henchmen in 1652, but the new governor sent by de Poincy also welcomed buccaneers. In January 1654, Spanish troops again drove the pirates out and this time tried to found a permanent colony. However, when an English fleet invaded in 1655, the Spanish governor withdrew its troops to defend Santo Domingo.
In 1656, soon after the English occupied Jamaica, Elias Watts acquired a commission as governor and recruited English and French settlers. The islanders soon returned to piracy. Watts was expelled in 1659 by a French adventurer and Tortuga fell under French control in 1665 when Bertrand D'Ogeron became governor.
D'Ogeron encouraged French settlement along the northern and western coast of Hispaniola, creating the French colony of Saint Domingue. He also imposed order on Tortuga, but never tried to suppress the pirates, who formed the French colony's best defence in wartime. Pirates continued to visit the Island until France outlawed piracy after 1713. From the 1670's, however, Petit Groave replaced Tortuga as the main pirate haven in the French Islands.
NEW SPAIN, NEW GRANADA, NEW ANDALUSIA, & THE SPAINISH COLONIES
Although many of the main Spanish cities are outlined above, it is important to stress the importance and influence of the Spanish in the region at this time. Spain controls roughly 90% of the colonized land area of the New World at this time.
Spain is also closely allied to the Vatican and the Catholic Church and more of Spain's influence is spread by Catholic Missions in the New World. Missions extend even into modern Texas (San Antonio has already been founded by 1665).
New Spain is the largest and arguably the most important of the Spanish colonies in the region. Spain's colonial capitol is located here and New Spain encompasses all of modern Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, southwest Texas, and southern California. The capitol of New Spain was then and is still the largest city in the world, Mexico. Mexico (now Mexico City) was located in the old Aztec capitol of Tenochititlan. The Aztecs were a very advanced and largely cosmopolitan people who were in contact with many of their neighbors. The Aztecs were largely unaffected by the diseases that the Spanish brought but were nonetheless conquered by the Spanish (under Cortes) with the aid of their local political rivals.
Mexico is built into a mountain pass and is very defensible as well as having a large arable valley about it. Mexico's exact population was not recorded until the 18th century, but when Cortes returned to Spain in 1527, he stated that the official population (that of colonists, soldiers, and native converts to Christianity) was 23,000! This is more than three times the population of any other colony until nearly 1700. Moreover, the Audencia (a court of appeals which acts to oversee the captains-general in the name of the Crown of Spain) estimated that this was only a small fraction of the actual usable population (which may have been as much as 500,000 by 1650).
New Granada
is the region covering modern central America, Peru, Chile, and Colombia. The Capitol of New Granada is in Panama and other important and notable cities are Lima (built near an Inca city of some prominence) and Cartagenana. New Granada is the center of Spain's quest for native gold and silver and is the home of many very important nobles and clergymen.
New Granada has seen a much more violent breed of Spanish adventurer and the natives are less inclined to bend as the Spanish push south and east. The natives of the Amazon basin are notoriously dangerous and the environment is unhealthy for Europeans. The Spaniards have therefore stopped expanding New Granada and are now interested in mining for gold and stealing the gold of the natives. Gold is brought to Lima, where it is shipped to Panama. From Panama, it is portaged overland to Nombre de Dios and Puerto Bello. From Puerto Bello, treasure makes one final trip to Cartagena where it is stored until it is ready to be shipped to Spain.
New Andalusia
includes modern Venezuela and Guyana. Spanish nobles have made several bona-fide attempts at peaceful colonization here and many of the cities, such as Cumana and Caracas are thriving, self-sufficient ports. New Andalusia is not as important in the eyes of the Spanish Royal Court but a growing group of humanists in the church view it as a 'noble experiment.'
All of New Spain, New Andalusia, and New Granada are under the oppressive yoke of the avaria, a Crown-enforced tax upon exported goods. The avaria goes towards paying for armed escorts on large shipments to and from Spain. This practice is in direct response to English and Dutch backed privateers operating in the Florida channel, preying upon Spanish convoys.
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****This article was written and is copyrighted to Nicole Kipar. And is used with permission****
