It's Early!
The Royal Cuban Timeline, or A Cuba-wank
SEGMENT 2 (1680-1690)
3 June, 1680- Duke Alphonso Diaz arrives in Cuba, taking up residence in the Former Governor's palace, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, in Habana.
9 July, 1680- Diaz marries the daughter of a Local Planter, Maria Isabella.
12 July 1680 – The Viceroy of New Spain's gift to the new Duke and Duchess arrives. It is a crate containing a large number of deceased Capuchin Monkeys. This apparently is the source of Duke Diaz' seemingly endless hatred of the Viceroy.
6 August, 1680 - Carlos II attends the Largest Auto de fe ever, with 25 people burned at the stake.
7 August, 1680 - Carlos II orders an Inquiry into the Spanish Inquisition.
15 August, 1680 - Duke Diaz first declares the Right to Free Worship in His Domain. Cuban Authorities will no Longer co-operate with the Inquisition. Carlos II Ignores any protests by the Inquisition.
3 September, 1680 – “Prince” Three Chuen is born to King Canek of Tayasal and an unknown Consort, as Per tradition he is named for his day of birth.
March, 1681: Charles II dissolves parliament for the Fourth time in two years, as a result of his conflict with Parliament over issues of religion. Charles II will rule without parliament for the Rest of his life.
7 March, 1681 – Ducal Archives are first commissioned and created, with the Intent of serving as a depository of Literature and Knowledge for all of Humanity.
Spring, 1681- The Chiquola tribe arrives in the Vicinity of Saint Augustine, seeking refuge in Florida, they have been driven out of Carolina by Catawba and Carolinian Slavers. They are Settled on Hontoon Island
(In OTL Volusia County). They are first of many tribes to flee the Carolinas for Florida.
28 August, 1681 – Ducal Archives first officially open in Habana.
4 December, 1681- The Duke and Duchess Celebrate the birth of their first child, Margaretta de Habana.
3 March, 1682 - the Royal inquiry into the Spanish Inquisition delivers it's report, and it is quite damning to the Inquisition, questioning their aims, methods and competence to an extreme degree, However the Grand Master of the Inquisition manages to have the report destroyed, but not before at least one copy reaches the Ducal Archives in Habana.
4 April, 1682 - Work starts on improved defenses for Saint Augustine.
11 November, 1682 - The Duke and Duchess Celebrate the birth of their Firstborn son, Juan Fransisco.
1683 – Levi Maimon is transferred from Formosa to the Trading Station of Dejima,
12 May, 1683 - The Improved defenses for Saint Augustine are Complete, with the last major task being a Large Blockhouse to Guard the southern flank of the City.
5-9 June, 1683 - Dutch and English Pirates from Carolina attack Saint Augustine, they never breach the Walls and take heavy Casualties. Several of their Ships are Captured or Burned. Among the Captured vessels is Michel Andrieszoon's
le Tigre, which is Purchased by the Duke to serve Ironically as a Pirate Hunter.
12 June, 1683 - The Commander of the Castillo de San Marcos hangs seventy-three Pirates, Including Michel Andrieszoon, Yankey Willems, and the "Pirate Hunter" Thomas Paine.
14-16 July, 1683 - Spanish Forces, led by Duke Alphonso himself attack the English settlement of Charles Town, on New Providence in the Bahamas, as revenge for the Attempted Raid on Saint Augustine. The Settlement is burned and the Surviving Inhabitants are Captured and Sold as Slaves by the Duke.
3-6 September, 1683 - English Pirates Attack Saint Augustine in larger numbers. They are only marginally Successful.
28 October, 1683 – Levi Maimon begins his duties at Dejima, the same day as Willem Volger starts his first term as Opperhoofd.
8 February, 1684 – Charles II converts to Catholicism on his Deathbed.
10 February, 1684 – Charles II dies. The Succession is disputed between James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, living in the Netherlands at the time thanks to the Rye House Plot, and King James II & VII
Late February Through Early May, 1684 – Monmouth ready his forces to support his Claim to the Crown, Sparking the rather short British war of Succession. The United Provinces declare support for Monmouth, the French and Spanish for James II.
March, 1684 – Duke Alphonso levies the Impuesto, a five percent tax on Profits from Farming cash crops, to fund road building and essential government functions. This announcement nearly causes a revolt by the Planters, until Alphonso announces that He will pay the tax as well and set the rate to be reasonable for everyone involved.
1-2 May, 1684 – Charleston, Carolina is burned by Cuban Raiders from Saint Augustine in the middle of the Night. Found in the Ashes is a Stone carved with the Message “How Doeseth Thou Like It Now?” This is the First Engagement in the English War of Succession.
2-8 May, 1684 – In the chaos following the Burning of Charleston, thousands of slaves escape from the Plantations in Southern Carolina, by the time Order is restored on the Eighth of May about a Third of Carolina's slaves have Escaped. The Southern portion of the Colony will never really recover from the Twined Blows.
8 May, 1684 – Monmouth's Forces, numbering about a Thousand men land in Dorset.
10 May, 1684 – Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes. This will send large numbers of Huguenots Scurrying to Cuba, Florida, and The New World in general.
12 May, 1684 – Word reaches London about France and Spain declaring their Support for James II. James is Dragged In to the Street and Killed by an Angry Mob, Partly composed by Parliament, after being handed over by the fearful and angry guards.
14 May, 1684 – The Royal Navy assaults Saint Augustine. The Castillo de San Marcos is successful in function and sinks two Sloops-of-war and a Sixth rate Frigate.
14-15 May, 1684 –
HMS Constant Warwick, a fourth rate Frigate runs aground on a sandbank off Saint Augustine at low tide, she will be Captured by Sailors and fishermen from Saint Augustine later that night, before the rising tide floats her free of the sandbank.
20 May, 1684 –
HMS Constant Warwick is commissioned into the service of the Duke of Cuba as the Privateer
San Agustín. She has been Up Gunned to a 44, from her previous 42.
Summer, 1684 - Maroon (Free/Escaped Black) villages begin appearing all over Northern Florida and the Backwoods of Appalachia. Over Time many Florida Maroons will intermarry with the local Indians, as their counterparts in the West Indies have done. Maroon villages in Florida are required to hand over any Escaped slaves from Floridian territory as a condition of settlement.
28 June, 1684 – James III And VIII of Britain is Crowned at Westminster Abbey.
10 July, 1684 – The
San Agustín captures the Fourth Rate
HMS Bonaventure off the Isle Of Bermuda.
16 July, 1684 – The
Bonaventure and
San Agustín arrive at Saint Augustine. The Prize court awards the Crew of the San Agustín with Possesion of the Bonaventure.
23 July, 1684 – The Treaty of Ghent (1684) is Signed, Ending the English War of Succession with mostly Status quo Ante Bellum, with the Exception being Spain ceding the western Third of Hispaniola to France.
24 July, 1684 – The Captured
Bonaventure and the ex-privateer
San Agustín are purchased by Duke Alphonso for the Grand Price of only 4,000 Golden Reals, Six of the
Bonaventure's Sakers and an old Bermudan Schooner. Both sides consider it a Steal.
3 March, 1685 - In response to the new issues with the legal Maroons sheltering Escaped slaves, Duke Alphonso declares that all Slaves newly imported into Cuba and Florida will henceforth be Tattooed on the Shoulder with the Month and Year of Importation along with their name, as given by the Buyer upon purchase. The Slaves will then be registered with the Court.
April, 1685 – The Impuesto is collected and is a whopping 30,249 Golden Reals, of which Five hundred come from the Duke himself.
4 May, 1686 – While on the annual Sankin Kotai in Edo, to pay respects and Tribute to the Shogun (Tokugawa Tsunayoshi) Levi is found to have Slept with The Shogun's daughter, Tokugawa Asayo. Tsunayoshi is apparently furious at this, needing to be calmed down by several Ladies of the court. Opperhoofd Andreas Cleyer points out that if Tsunayoshi forces Levi to marry his daughter and stay at court, not only would he have his “Court European” but he'd have his own Court Jew.
6 May, 1686 – Shogunate records declare this date as the wedding day of one Maimon Levi and a Tokugawa Asayo. Levi becomes the Legal heir of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.
15 June, 1687 – The first Synagogue in Cuba opens discretely in Baracoa.
12 August, 1687- Maimon Asayo gives birth to a boy, Maimon Kozumi.
5 September, 1687 – The Shogun, likely on the request of Maimon Levi, allows a the VoC to bring a Number of Jews and Jewish Women into Japan on a regular basis, however they can only reside in Edo or Nagasaki.
4 May, 1688 – Three Franciscans and a Group of about half a dozen Mayan Singers depart Mérida for Tayasal, capital of the Petén Itza to “convert the heathens to the way of Christ”.
23 May, 1688 – The Franciscan Party arrives at Tayasal. They find some Eager converts, but King Canek of the Itza refuses to convert and to Pledge Loyalty to Spain.
10 June, 1688 – The Franciscan Party, slightly larger thanks to the number of Converts accompanying them, arrives back at Mérida.
22 June, 1688 – Word of the Itza Maya at Tayasal reaches the duke in Habana. This is apparently interesting enough for the Duke to personally visit the city.
6 July, 1688 – Duke Alphonso's party lands at Progreso, about ten miles north of Mérida.
10 July, 1688 – The Ducal party departs Mérida with three of the Maya Singers who had previously made the Trip.
27 July, 1688 – The Ducal party arrives in Tayasal about two days ahead of schedule.
28 July- 3 August, 1688 – Duke Alphonso and King Canek meet, together they discuss issues relating to the Yucatan, and the Viceroy of New Spain. Gifts are exchanged, with the Duke receiving a pair of Capuchin monkeys (later named Juilo and Marta) and Canek receiving a Fine Saber. Plans are drawn up for what will be called “The First Guns for Books” deal, wherein the Cubans will bring in Scholars to copy and translate the so called “Tayasal Codices”, with copies in both Itza and Spanish going to the Archives in Cuba, and in exchange Canek's soldiers (numbering less than three hundred) would receive Muskets, Powder, Shot and training in how to best employ the weapons in combat. Additional Arrangements are given for Three Chuen to be educated in Cuba at a later date.
4 August, 1688 – The Ducal party leaves Tayasal for Mérida.
24 August, 1688 – The Ducal party arrives at the Gates of Mérida, All Three of the Maya Singers are Killed to prevent them from alerting the Dominicans, and thus the Viceroy, of the Deal made between the King of the Itza and the Duke of Cuba.
27 August, 1688 – The Ducal party departs Progreso aboard the
San Agustín.
10 September, 1688 – The Duke arrives back home at the Castillo de la Real Fuerza.
11 September, 1688 – The First Dozen Jews from Europe arrive in Nagaski, aboard an East Indiaman, they are Sephardi and will establish the Jewish Community in Edo.
12 September, 1688 – The Duke, several Scholars and some of the trustworthy troops from the Habana garrison begin to learn the Itza language.
17 September, 1688 – Maimon Kozumi undergoes a rather belated Bris. The Ceremony Is preformed by Japan's first Rabbi, Solomon Mendoza.
12 April, 1689 – The Caravan containing the first group of Instructors and scholars secretly arrives in Tayasal, with them are one hundred flintlock muskets.
23 April, 1689 – Canek declares the Kingdom of the Maya, and himself King of the Maya. Tayasal will be the Capital of the new kingdom.
14 May, 1689 – A group of about a dozen scholars, and guards depart Tayasal with Three Chuen and the first ten translated Codicies.
5 June, 1689 – Prince Three Chuen arrives in Habana, and is to be educated with the duke's children.
10 July, 1689 – the Second Group arrives in Tayasal with Two Hundred Muskets.
25 July, 1689 – The Cuban trained Itza army of Tayasal attacks Zacpeten, a major Ko'woj Maya City.
27 July, 1689 – The City of Zacpeten falls to the Itza Maya, and becomes part of the Kingdom of the Maya under King Canek I.
August-September, 1689 – The Entirety of the Free Maya Settlements in the area become part of the Mayan Kingdom. and Canek begins to build roads connecting the Various Settlements.
9 September, 1689 – Three Chuen adopts the name Alejandro Petén as a pseudonym.
10 September, 1689 – A force of Sixty Spanish soldiers and about 300 Xiu Maya Auxiliaries depart from Mérida, to put down the King of the Maya once and for all.
15 September, 1689 – the third group of Scholars and Soldiers from Cuba arrive in Tayasal, with them are a Pair of Cannon and another hundred Muskets.
23 September, 1689 – The Spanish force from Mérida is annihilated by a Mayan force twice it's size in an ambush at the First Battle of Paxbán. (Note that the Ambush actually happens about ½ a mile east of Paxbán). A small number of Xiu Maya are allowed to serve as messengers, delivering the news of a Mayan King and the defeat of the Spanish in battle.
October, 1689 – Canek controls almost all of OTL's Petén department.
4 October, 1689 – Word reaches Mérida of 1st Paxbán. Riots by the Mayans in the City are put down by force.
12 October, 1689 – Word reaches Habana of 1st Paxbán. Duke Alphonso is noted to have fallen out of his chair laughing when he hears the News.
22 November, 1689 – A Spanish force Led by the Governor of the Yucatan, and comprised of about Six Hundred Spanish troops, with artillery and two thousand Xiu Maya Auxiliaries leaves Mérida for Tayasal.
27 November, 1689 – Two Pirate vessels Sack the City of Bacalar.
28 November, 1689 – The Spanish force is ambushed near Paxbán yet again, and about a Hundred Spaniards along with Three Hundred Xiu Maya die. The Spanish Baggage train and a pair of Cannons are captured in the Chaos. Canek looses about Seventy Musketeers and another two hundred troops in the Attack.
29 November- 10 December, 1689 – The Spanish Force heading to Tayasal is slowed to a crawl and bled to death thanks night-time raids by Canek's Troops.
11 December, 1689 – the Battle of Petén is joined, on one side is Canek's well trained, led and rested Army of Four Hundred Musketeers, Six Cannons, and about three thousand Auxiliaries, on the other the Ragged, Exhausted and Demoralized Army Led by the Governor of the Yucatan and Now comprised of about Four Hundred Spaniards and a few hundred Auxiliaries who still haven't deserted. The Result is an obvious Mayan Strategic victory with the Governor of the Yucatan barely escaping alive.
18 December, 1689 - The Spanish Settlement of San Agustín Lanquín is raided by a Mayan Force.
