Kingdom of Miskita
The Kingdom of Miskita is an English-speaking country in Central America. It is unique in the Americas for being an independent indigenous kingdom. Miskita was a protectorate of the United Kingdom from 1844 – 1972 but its contact with the British goes back to the 17th Century. It is diverse country with Amerindians, Zambos, Whites all being native. Since the 1950s there has been large Hispanic, White and Black Caribbean immigration. Miskita is a member of the Commonwealth, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of American States (OAS). Quite poor for much of its history, its economy used depend on forestry, fishing and agriculture but has now transitioned to tourism and corporate services. Although it is recognised for good governance and a regionally high standard of living, the country faces some challenges. Drug smuggling remains a problem in less developed parts of the coast meanwhile the country faces an increase in hurricanes which have devastated the country several times.
History
Europeans arrived in the area in 1700s with the natives there being divided between around 30 “nations”. Although the Spanish tried, they could never fully conqueror or bring the region under their control. This lack of control lead the Miskita Coast to become a haven for European pirates in particular British pirates. The first black descendants of the Miskita Zambos arrived through escaping slavery and slave ships and intermarrying with the natives.
British contact increased during the 17th century with the son of the “King of Miskito” visiting England during the reign of Charles I. The Miskito Kingdom and Britain signed a formal alliance in 1740 although the Miskito Coast was effectively a protectorate. After the treaty the Miskita raided Spanish settlements as part of the War of Jenkin’s Ear and British immigration spurred the development of plantations and exploiting of timber resources. The British protectorate lasted until 1786 Convention of London where Britain evacuated the coast in favour of its colony in Belize.
Spain controlled the area but this was never favoured by the Miskita. Due to bad connections to the Central American highlands, the area was transferred to Viceroyalty of New Granada (now Colombia). The distance from New Granada made the area practically independent with Spanish presence extremely limited. Spanish control of the Miskita Kingdom effectively ended during the Napoleonic War and the Spanish American wars of independence.
After the Spanish left, the Miskita Kings re-stablished contacts with the British especially the colony in Belize. The British recognised Miskita as an independent kingdom in 1837 and diplomatically pushed back encroachments by Nicaragua and Honduras on the Kingdom. The British did not punish the Kingdom when it took Greytown from Nicaragua despite Nicaraguan protests.
In the mid-19th century both the UK and USA were interested in building a canal though Central America to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The British saw the Miskita Coast as an ideal for a Nicaraguan canal. This and internal chaos in Miskita after the death of the King caused the British to establish a renewed Protectorate in 1844.
The growing tension between the UK and US in Central America resulted in a few clashes. The US was worried about increased British territorial and economic expansion in the area and that any British built canal could be closed to American ships. This resulted in the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. (POD)
The Treaty negotiations were almost concluded when a major misunderstanding was discovered between the sides. Article 1 said “Both parties would never occupy, fortify or colonise any part of Central America”. The Americans thought that this meant the UK would abandon the Miskita Coast and large parts of Belize to neighbouring nations, while the British thought they could not expand their current holdings. After a near breakdown in the negotiations, the US prioritised its interest in the free navigation of any British canal. The US agreed to recognise British dominion over Belize, the Bay Islands and the Miskita Coast. The signing of the treaty in 1851 drew objections from Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua but they were powerless to stop it.
With control of Miskita Coast recognised, the British invested heavily in the timber resources of the area with companies pushing ever deeper into the interior to find the valuable mahogany wood. The border between the Miskita Coast and Nicaragua was vaguely defined and this led to increasing clashes between Nicaraguans and Miskitans over who had the rights over the best forest. In 1895 the killing of 20 British lumber traders by Nicaraguan border patrol caused outrage in London. This resulted in the demarcation of the border with a similar treaty was concluded with Honduras in 1896.
From 1894 – 1962 the protectorate was mostly peaceful with increase in plantations for cash crops for export to the USA. The kingdom was poor but well run as the King Andrew I prioritised investment in infrastructure and creating a unified populace from the Zambos (afro-Amerindian Miskita), Tawira (Amerindian Miskita) and the white population. King David Fredrick I ascended the throne in 1962 and pushed for the Kingdom to get more independence from the UK. In preparation for independence, the Oxford University educated King gained advice from the UK and his university contacts on how to run a successful country. He strengthened the role of the Council of Elders with first universal elections in 1966. He strengthened the might of the High Court and created an independent anti-Corruption commission.
Independence came in 1972, the Kingdom gradually realigned itself with the US economy and US interests in the region. Miskita was used as a launch pad American for the seizing of the San Andres Islands from the People’s Republic of Colombia in 1979 and has since then hosted a US base at Bragman’s Bluff. From the late 1980’s this increased integration with US allowed the development of tourism in the Kingdom. The attractions of its largely pristine rainforest and tropical beaches causing a massive increase in American and Canadian tourist arrivals. In 1980’s the Kingdom used the money from tourism to prioritise education, this has now resulted in a decently educated and cheap English-speaking workforce. This has caused several large US companies setting up corporate service centres in Bluefields and other towns which has increased the middle class.
In 1988 Hurricane Joanne hit the country, leaving much of the country devastated and 100 people dead. The flooding and winds destroyed much of Bluefields including the Elder’s House and historic Victoria Wharf. The damage was an estimated $3 billion dollars and resulted in a severe recession, the programme of reconstruction of Bluefields lasted until 1991.
During the mid-90s northern Miskita became a hub of drug smuggling to the US. The drugs would come across the forested border and then be put on small boats in one of numerous cays and bays. Operation SCARLET EAGLE between the US, Miskita and the UK fought the drug smuggling gangs from 1993 – 2000 killing around 800 people and causing much devastation to the area. The smuggling gangs were finally defeated but the area remains poor and underdeveloped compared to the rest of Miskita.
In 2002, James Fredric, Heir to the throne married the Hollywood actress Reece Wetherspoons with guests from the Royal Houses of Europe and Hollywood celebrities. This widely covered tropical beach wedding caused a boom in wedding and honeymoon tourism
It is my first inkscape map, so please let me know how to improve!!