Vuelo de La Navidad

[tubendo]

Vuelo de La Navidad
A Timeline by tubendo

"Vuelo de La Navidad?" - Christopher Columbus (1494)

"The great wild lands of Columbia were found by the great explorer Cristopher Columbus, but it was Governor Diego de Arana who founded the true beginnings of European settlement in Columbia. Diego and his sailing brothers continued to live in La Navidad until the native Taíno attacked his village after they had provoked them earlier. The Taíno attempted to masscre the entire population of the village but were only able to kill less than ten until Diego and an armed force was able to scare off the natives temporalily. Seeing this as their chance, all decided that it would be best to settle somewhere with more friendler natives. The settlers abandoned the short lived town of La Navidad and using the wreckage from the Santa Maria and what else they could produce from the island, sailed northward to a group of islands they called then Arana Islands and called the largest, Great Arana both these names coming from their governor. Presuming to never see Spain again, Diego declared himself Prince of Isla Arana (later contracted to Islarana by the settlers). In that year of 1493 he was able to build up a great fortified settlement on Great Arana and granted his sailors out land. He used the wreckage of the Santa Maria to fish while he and his close advisory group plotted how to return to or make contact with the Crown. This time did not come until Columbus' return in 1494." - An excerpt from the book, "Foundations of Columbia" by Alfonso de Santiago (1856)

 

[othyrsyde]

Assuming this isn't propaganda, it's highly unlikely they'd be able to fight off the Taino attack. It was a collaborative effort between several Taino cacicazgos (kingdoms/confederacies). It's more likely they'd survive by fleeing, and even then considering how little the Spaniards know about the island's geography compared to their opponents.

 

[tubendo]

Assuming this isn't propaganda, it's highly unlikely they'd be able to fight off the Taino attack. It was a collaborative effort between several Taino cacicazgos (kingdoms/confederacies). It's more likely they'd survive by fleeing, and even then considering how little the Spaniards know about the island's geography compared to their opponents.

They have fled La Navidad and only survived because they were able to scare them off by firing their guns. This gave Diego to reassert ideals and allow them to literally pack their bags and go.

 

[Herr Frage]

I am interested. yo do not usually see such early secession.

 

[Cuāuhtemōc]

So how are these people in Isla Arana going to handle the inevitable response of the Spanish sending their ships to this rogue principality and bombard it to submission? Or them being attacked by the native Lucayan Taino natives who will be quick to realize that the newcomers on their land are violent and raiding them for food and women?

 

[tubendo]

So how are these people in Isla Arana going to handle the inevitable response of the Spanish sending their ships to this rogue principality and bombard it to submission? Or them being attacked by the native Lucayan Taino natives who will be quick to realize that the newcomers on their land are violent and raiding them for food and women?

They are going to accept submission to the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. After the submission, nobility in Western Europe they can gain land and wealth by declaring vassal states in the New World, and pretty much most of the Caribbean is Spanish, whilst the Gulf and South-East are under Hispanic, Dutch, French and English city state/kingdoms.

 

[tubendo]

"We are kings among savages" - Diego de Arana (1494)

"The initial settlement of this small island was minuscule and defenceless. Luckily the Great Arana was split into three islands in which we could secure separately. On the easternmost island the village continued grow under the supervision of Diego. Interaction with the natives was good and we were able to secure a possible conversion of the peoples. The savage people were curious about our weapons and use of fire (cannons). When Columbus came in the year of our lord 1494 he gave us supplies from Spain and Diego was asserted as a Spanish vassal. This was a great benefit for the settlement of Arana. Diego was seen by the west as the first European feudal lord in this New World." - Unknown (1495)