Pieces of Eight

Trinidad

Although Columbus claimed Trinidad for the Spanish Crown, it was several decades before the king appointed the first governor.

Sadly for the governor – a conquistador – the natives weren’t interested in serving Spain, and after four years he gave up and returned to Spain.

The English and Dutch both started small colonies, but these were quickly abandoned, the settlers speaking of ghosts and spirits haunting them. Whether these were true ethereal entities or native tricks cannot be proved.

Spain tried a new approach to colonizing Trinidad, and rather than despatching troops, the king sent missionaries. They zealously began converting the locals, punishing those who would not submit to Christianity.

In 1699, the Indians rose up against the oppressive priests and slaughtered them. Only one man escaped alive to report the massacre. Spain has yet to make a further attempt to settle on Trinidad, but Almirante del Nero, currently distracted by the war against the pirates, has vowed to make the Indians regret their actions.