History of Saint Lucia

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Saint Lucia was constantly fought over by the British and the French during the 18th century, This painting depicts the Battle of St. Lucia, 15 December 1778, when 12 French ships led by Admiral d'Estaing (left) attacked seven British ships (right) commanded by Admiral Barrington.



16th century

When the island was first discovered by Europeans is disputed. Some claim that Christopher Columbus sighted the island during his second voyage in 1493, while others claim that Juan de la Cosa noted it on his maps in 1499, and that the island is included on a globe in the Vatican made in 1502.[1] However, it is doubtful that Columbus passed St Lucia during his second voyage, as the island lies far south of his known route on that voyage; Juan de la Cosa was exploring northern South America in 1499 and it's obvious that the claim about him naming St Lucia El Falcon refers to the state Falcón in northern Venezuela; and there is no known globe in the Vatican Library from the early 1500s.

In the late 1550s the French pirate François le Clerc (known as Jambe de Bois, due to his wooden leg) set up a camp on Pigeon Island, from where he attacked passing Spanish ships.[1]

17th century


In 1635, the French officially claimed the island but didn't settle it. Instead, it was the English who attempted the next European settlement in 1639, but that too was wiped out by the Caribs. In 1643, a French expedition sent out from Martinique by Jacques Dyel du Parquet, the governor of Martinique, established a permanent settlement on the island. De Rousselan was appointed the island's governor, took a Carib wife and remained in post until his death in 1654.


Political control from 1674 to 1814[2]
Date Country
1674 French crown colony
1723 Neutral territory (agreed by Britain and France)
1743 French colony (Sainte Lucie)
1748 Neutral territory (de jure agreed by Britain and France)
1756 French colony (Sainte Lucie)
1762 British occupation
1763 Restored to France
1778 British occupation
1783 Restored to France
1796 British occupation
1802 Restored to France
1803 British occupation
1814 British possession confirmed

18th century

Both the British, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, centered on Martinique, found Saint Lucia attractive after the sugar industry developed, and during the 18th century the island changed ownership or was declared neutral territory a dozen times, although the French settlements remained and the island was a de facto a French colony well into the 18th century.


During the Seven Years' War Britain occupied Saint Lucia for a couple of years, but gave the island back at the Treaty of Paris on 10 February 1763. Like the English and Dutch on other islands, the French began to develop the land for the cultivation of sugar cane as a commodity crop on large plantations in 1765. Colonists who came over were mostly indentured white servants serving a small percentage of wealthy merchants or nobles.

A 1758 map of Saint Lucia


A short time later, the British invaded in response to the concerns of the wealthy plantation owners, who wanted to keep sugar production going. On 21 February 1795, a group of rebels, led by Victor Hugues, defeated a battalion of British troops. For the next four months, a group of recently freed slaves known as the Brigands forced out not only the British army, but every white slave-owner from the island (coloured slave owners were left alone, as in Haiti). In 1796 Castries was burned as part of the conflict.

19th century

In 1803, the British finally regained control of the island and restored slavery. Many of the rebels escaped into the thick rain forests, where they evaded capture and established maroon communities.[4] The same year, the French withdrew their forces from Saint-Domingue after losing two-thirds of the 20,000 soldiers they had sent there against the slave revolt. The new leaders of Haiti declared its independence in 1804, the first black republic in the Caribbean, and the second republic in the Western Hemisphere.



20th century to 21st century



See also


  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 All about St Lucia: History
  2. 2.0 2.1 World Statesmen: Saint Lucia Chronology Linked 2014-01-20
  3.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain"Montagu, John (1688?-1749)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  4. They Called Us the Brigands. The Saga of St. Lucia's Freedom Fighters by Robert J Devaux
  • Philpott, Don (1999). St Lucia. Derbyshire: Landmark Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-901522-28-8.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  • Higgins, Chris (2001). St. Lucia. Montreal: Ulysses Travel Guides. ISBN 2-89464-396-9.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  • "History of Saint Lucia". History of Saint Lucia. Retrieved September 23, 2005.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Further reading