Tortuga (Haiti)
Note: There is also a group of islands called the Dry Tortugas, part of the Florida Keys.
Tortuga (Spanish for turtle) or Isla Tortuga is an island in the Caribbean Sea. It is also called "Tortoise Island" and is often recognized as a home of 17th Century's pirates.
Pirate history
Tortuga was a Spanish colony, but in 1525 French settlers arrived. After the Spanish forces expelled them in 1529, the Spanish fortified the island. As most of the Spanish Army left for Hispaniola, the French came back, took the Fort and expanded it further. English colonists also arrived on the island. In 1630 the French built Fort de Rocher in a natural harbour. Since this time Buccaneers more and more use the island as their base. In 1635 the Spanish come back again, but after they conquered the island, they left again, because it was too small to be of major importance, and so the French and English colonists returned. After mismanagement at the plantations, most of the normal colonists leave the island during the 1630s. After the Spanish attacked and conquered Tortuga again in 1639, Don Inigo de la Mota wrote a letter to the king of Spain and described the population of Tortuga as mostly French and Dutch buccaneers and pirates. After 1640 the Pirates of Tortuga entitled themselves "Brethren of the Coast". After 1650, prostitution spread on the island. From 1654 to 1659 the Spanish tried several times to conquer Tortuga, but failed. In 1660 they succeeded, but after a year the French reconquered it again, and the island's buccaneers and pirates returned.
For at least twenty years from 1660, Tortuga remained the capital of the Pirate World.
In 1680, English laws were passed, which now (in opposition to former practice) forbade sailing under foreign flags. The Treaty of Ratisbon between France and England in 1684 ended the Age of Buccaneers.
Articles in the Treaty of Ratisbon
Concerning the suppression of hostilities in the West Indies:
- 1. All hostilities shall cease on both sides, both by land and by sea and other waters, in all [the] kingdoms, countries, provinces, territories and dominions [of the high contracting parties] within Europe and without, both on this side of and beyond the Line, and everything shall be restored, on both sides, to the state established by the Peace of Nymegen . . .
- 5. His Most Christian Majesty shall also be obliged, after the delivery of the ratification by Spain, to recall his forces from the dominions of his Royal Catholic Majesty, wherever situated . . .
- 10. His Sacred Imperial Majesty, both for himself and in the name of the Catholic King, as also his Most Christian Majesty, agree, that the Emperor, the entire Holy Roman Empire, the King of Great Britain, the States of the United Provinces, and finally all kings, princes, republics, and states, who may wish to enter into this engagement, shall promise both parties to undertake the guaranty of these treaties [i.e. Treaty of Breda and Treaties of Nymwegen] for restoring amd securing the good faith and universal tranquillity of the Christian world.