The History of Cuba, vol. 1

It was the inscrutable irony of fate that Cuba should remain so negligible a quantity during one of the most momentous and progressive periods of human history. No other era sin...

It is my purpose in these volumes to write a History of Cuba. The title may imply either the land and its natural conditions, or the people and the nation which inhabit it. It i...

Spain was at this time gradually working her defection, political and economic. Philip III. had died in 1621 and, as he had thrown the responsibilities of the government upon th...

In spite of the "American Treaty" which had for the moment bound Great Britain and Spain together for mutual protection against the pirates, the designs of land-hungry British c...

With the death of King Charles II. in the year 1700 the Austrian dynasty upon the throne of Spain became extinct. One daughter of his predecessor, Philip IV., had married a Bava...

Sunday, October 28, 1492, was the natal day of Cuba; the day of its advent into the ken of the civilized world. At the island which he called Isabella--either Long Island or Cro...

The disastrous events which have been related in the preceding chapter suggested to the Spaniards in Cuba and also to the government at Seville the desirability, if not the nece...

The wonderful impetus which the discoverers and explorers of Spain gave to the spirit of adventure by opening to the world the gates of a new and strange world, promptly began t...

Between these first merely tentative and inconclusive visits of Columbus to Cuba, in which so much was imagined and so little learned or done, and the actual occupation and sett...

The character of the European nations whose navigators and explorers had sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and had opened to the bewildered gaze of the Old World a vista of un...

The first governorship of Gonzalo de Guzman was marked with two features of very great importance to the young nation--for such we may properly regard Cuba as having been at tha...

The new Mexican expedition was entrusted by Velasquez to the leadership of the greatest of all the Spanish conquistadors, Hernando Cortez, then Alcalde of Santiago de Cuba. This...

Such, then, was the state of affairs when in 1585 war began between Spain and England. English adventurers infested Spanish territory on the main land in the northern part of th...

For a considerable time after the last visit of Columbus, Cuba was strangely neglected by the enterprising explorers and conquistadors of Spain. Hispaniola, since known as Hayti...

We have said that the administration of Angulo marked the nadir of early Cuban history. It also marked the turning point, and the entrance of the island into international affai...

Bartholomew Ortiz was at last, on his earnest entreaty, relieved of his duties as alcalde mayor in the fall of 1542, and for some time the insular government was again without a...

The successor of Rojas was Gonzalo de Guzman, who thus returned for a second term of the governorship. That adroit, masterful and often unscrupulous politician had spent his tim...

Velasquez was for a number of years the dominant figure in Cuban history, and he much more than any other man is to be credited with the settlement of the island and its social,...

The administration of Gonzalo Perez de Angulo marked the lowest point in the early history of Cuba. That was not because of the character of his administration, which was indeed...

Don Gabriel Montalvo was appointed to be Governor of Cuba early in December, 1573. As was the custom in those days, however, he delayed for some time actual assumption of office...

The regularly appointed successor of Governor Carreno was another soldier, to wit, Captain Gabriel de Luzan. He was an army veteran who had performed distinguished service in th...

Menendez was governor of Cuba for a little more than six years, from October 24, 1567, to December 13, 1573. Those were important years for the world at large. They saw the Duke...

We have already quoted the enthusiastic encomium of Columbus upon Cuba at his first sight of and landing upon its shore. His diary and his narrative to the sovereigns of Leon an...

CUBA; America: America; Cuba. The two names are inseparable. The record of each is in a peculiar sense identified with that of the other. Far more than any other land the Queen...

Velasquez had been Governor--technically Lieutenant-Governor under the Admiral, Diego Columbus, at Hispaniola--for more than thirteen years; save for the abortive and illegal ad...

Gold mining in Cuba appears for some time to have been profitable. There was not the vast opulence of the precious metal which a little later was discovered in Peru and elsewher...

It would be easy for the reflective historian to engage in many interesting and pertinent observations concerning the time in which Captain Francisco Carreno became governor of...

The early part of the administration of Gonzalo de Guzman was chiefly occupied with the investigation of his predecessors' stewardships, and with controversies with the municipa...

It is an interesting circumstance that what threatened to be a great disaster to Cuba proved in fact to be one of the greatest blessings that the Island had enjoyed since the Sp...

Cuba Neglected During an Era of Great Achievements--The Golden Age of Spain--Culture at Home and Conquest Abroad--A Noteworthy Group of Spanish Historians--The University of San...

Discovery of Cuba on Sunday, October 28, 1492--The First Landing Place on the Island--Named for the Heir of the Spanish Throne--Appreciation of the Beauty and Charm of the Islan...

War Between Spain and England--Drake's Conquest of Hispaniola--An Attack upon Cuba Anticipated--Raising Forces for Defense--Feuds Forgotten in the Common Emergency--Plans for th...

Hernando Cortez Commissioned by Velasquez to Explore Mexico--Some Romantic Adventures--Why Cortez went to Cuba--His Relations with Velasquez--A Crisis in Spain's American Affair...

Development of the Church Establishment in Cuba--The First Bishop--Early Conflict Between Church and State--Transfer of the Cathedral from Baracoa to Santiago--A Bishop in Polit...

Guzman's Second Administration--A Masterful Politician--Decline of Cuban Welfare--An Interregnum in the Governorship--The Coming of De Soto--His Imposing Arrival at Santiago--Pr...

The Decline of Spain--Enterprise and Aggressions of the Dutch--The Dutch West India' Company--Governors Who Saved Cuba for Spain--Warring with Dutch Privateers--The Great Fight...

Great Impetus Given to Discovery and Exploration Throughout the World--Interesting Observations upon Cuba and the Indies--Some Quaint Records--A Description of the Natives of Cu...

Marriage and Bereavement of Velasquez--Other Settlements Founded in Cuba--Santiago Made the First Capital--System of Government--Apportionment of the Natives to the Settlers--Ap...

A Turning Point in Cuban History--International Interest in the Island--Raids of French Privateers--A Famous Fight in Santiago Harbor--The Capture and Looting of Havana--First B...

Administration of Mazariegos--His Disastrous Voyage--Rebuilding of Havana--Manners and Morals of a Soldier of Fortune--Defense of Havana by a Military Governor--Improvement of t...

Neglect of Cuba by Spanish Explorers and Conquerors--Rule of Ovando--Ocampo Discovers Cuba to be an Island--First Attempts at Colonization--Enciso's Story of Ojeda's Adventure--...

Governorship of Juan de Avila--Royal Order against Slavery in the Mines--An Appeal to the Council for the Indies--Popular Revolt Against the Council--De Avila's Marriage to a Ri...

The War of the Austrian Succession--The Treaty of Utrecht--Reign of Philip V--Renewed Conflicts in the West Indies--Settlement of Pensacola--Aggressions of the French--Cuban Int...

A Bad Time in Cuban History--Santiago in 1550--Raid of a French Privateer--The Founding and Rise of Havana--The Founding of Puerto Principe--Baracoa, Trinidad and Other Settleme...

Administration of Gabriel de Luzan--Controversies Among Officials--The Quarrel Between Luzan and Arana--Questions of Official Residence--Removal of the Royal Accountant--Charges...

Archeology of Cuba--The Oldest Rock Formation--Theory of Cuban Continuity with Florida--The Eocene Age--Submersion in the Oligocene Period--Miocene Uplift--Changes During the Pl...

Changes in European Nations--Rise of the Protectionist Policy--Retaliation by Smugglers--Hostilities against Spain--Prevalence of Piracy--Some Strong Governors of Cuba--Good Wor...

British Designs against Spanish Possessions--Covetous Eyes Turned upon Cuba by British Empire-Builders--Isolation of Cuba from Spain--France Playing False--Cuban Reprisals--Furt...

Governorship of Montalvo--Rehabilitation of Santiago--Disorder at Havana--Conflict with the Rojas Family--Charges Made Against the Governor--The Increase of Smuggling--Ravages o...

First Impressions of Cuba--Columbus's Observations of the People and Resources of the Island--Native Villages and Boats--Negotiations with the Natives--First Use of Tobacco by E...

Administration of Francisco Carreno--The First Cuban Governor to Die in Office--A Record of Hard Work and Progress--The Problem of Free Negroes--Features of the Slave System--So...

Administration of Manuel de Rojas--The Rise of Cuba's Proper Interests--Development of Resources--Appointment of Altamarino--Post Mortem Investigation of Velasquez--Violent Oppo...

Drake's Menace a Blessing to Cuba--Spanish Interest in Cuba for Its Own Sake--The Governorship of Tejada--The Public Works of Antonelli--Building Roads, Dams and Aqueducts--Hava...

"In Cuba the Annals of America Begin"--The First Landing Place of Columbus--Theories Concerning Various Islands--His Expectation of Reaching the Coast of Asia--Cuba Supposed to...

Gold Mining in Cuba--Political Organization of the Island--Relations with the Spanish Crown--Development of the Slave Trade--Expeditions to Yucatan--Exploration of the Mexican C...

Controversies Over the Treasurership--Appointment of Hurtado, the Honest but Cantankerous--Fortunes of the Guzman Family--A Marriage for Money and its Consequences--Services of...

Approach of the "Sea Beggars"--More Work on La Fuerza--Seeking Financial Aid from Mexico--A Requisition for Slave Labor--Investigating Public Accounts--The Downfall of Menendez-...