History of Saint Barthelemy

Key dates in history:

The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage in 1493, who named it in honour of his brother Bartoloméo. He then claimed it for Spain.

In 1648, upon the decision of the Commander Lonvilliers de Poincy, the first occupation by the French took place.

From 1651 to 1656 the island was ruled by the Knights of Malta. It was then abandoned until 1659, when it became a French colony. Due to its poor quality soil and very dry climate, it offered no economic potential, but remained a strategic point in the northern Leeward Islands, particularly because of its naturally protected harbour - Carenage. The inhabitants developed mainly fishing, livestock, harvesting salt, cotton and indigo.

In 1784, the island was ceded by Louis XVI to King Gustav III of Sweden for a warehouse in Gothenburg. In 1785, the Swedes declared St. Barthelemy a free port. Around 1787, the main town of the island (Carenage) was renamed Gustavia in honour of the King of Sweden.

An order of the Swedish “General Police” legislated slavery in Saint-Barthélemy from 1787 replacing the French Black Code, slavery was finally abolished on October 9, 1847.

The island was formally ceded back to France on March 16, 1878 and attached to Guadeloupe. It became a district of Guadeloupe in 1946.

In 1957, David Rockefeller bought a property and the island began its transformation into an upscale tourist destination.

From 1962 to 2007, the municipalities of St. Martin and St. Barthelemy were the 3rd district of Guadeloupe (The Northern Islands) and administered by a sub-prefect whose main residence was in St. Martin.

On December 7, 2003, the electors of St. Barthelemy approved by referendum with a turnout of 78.71% and 95.51% of the votes cast, an institutional project making their island a territorial community detached from the DOM ROM of Guadeloupe. The first territorial elections of St. Barthelemy were called in July 2007 and on Sunday July 15, 2007; the island became officially an overseas community: the district of Saint-Barthélemy was dissolved, as was the County Borough and Municipality.

The history of the island:

St. Barthelemy has an unusual history, different from other Caribbean islands and Guadeloupe. On the other islands the first inhabitants were Indians, notably the Arawak Indians during this period. To them we owe the name "Ouanalao" (probably the first name of the archipelago), which is registered under the emblem of the island and the meaning of which has something to do with iguanas, hugely abundant in former times in this part of the world. The name of St. Barthelemy was given by its first colonizer: Christopher Columbus. During his second voyage to the Americas in 1493, the explorer discovered the island and baptized it after his younger brother Bartoloméo.

The dry land made agriculture difficult and no gold deposits were discovered. The island seemed unworkable and did not present any great interest. The Spanish neglected it ... an opportunity for the French to seize it. In 1648, thirty settlers from the island of St. Kitts landed. Three years later, in 1651, the Order of Malta bought St. Barthelemy. The Order then tried to exploit its new acquisition: the cultivation of sugar was badly adapted, so they turned to cultivation of cotton and indigo. They also developed salt farming, fishing and livestock. In 1656, a huge massacre broke out between the Indians and settlers. The Order of Malta then left the island, leaving it abandoned. It took three years for other settlers, also from St. Christopher to land accompanied by slaves.

The colour of the inhabitants of the island today, mostly of European origin, often relegates the chapter on slavery in St. Barths to oblivion. And yet... if the mountainous island, considered as "barren land", could not make its wealth in agriculture, it did nevertheless see a large number of slaves. They were used mainly as domestics and came mostly from neighbouring islands (French, English and Dutch). However, some were imported directly from Africa on ships engaged in the slave trade. The slave ships used the port of Gustavia and Forchue Island as places of transit.

The area was also the birthplace of many pirate legends. The natural harbour of St. Barthelemy was one of the safest places in all the Caribbean... This was a factor that did not escape the attention of pirates. The archipelago became a perfect place to hide and bury treasure... and carry out piracy. From this era, there are many accounts of piracy with illustrious pirates inspiring the characters of Rackham the Red and Captain Hook.

St. Barths: A Bargaining Chip

Next to come were the incessant wars between France and England that slowed the development of "the Leeward Island”. In 1744, the British occupied St. Barthelemy. It then took 20 years and the Treaty of Paris in order for France to recover the island. But not for long... After another 20 years, in 1784, the island became a bargaining chip. Louis XVI decided to sell the right of possession against a warehouse in the port of Gothenburg in Sweden. King Gustav III of Sweden, an admirer of French culture, became the proud owner of the 21 km2 of land in the middle of the Atlantic. The sovereign lavished great efforts in the hope of a return on his purchase. He began by establishing a "free port" (port area exempt from taxes) and developing the town around the port. Between 1786 and 1787, the town also lost the name of "Carenage" in favour of "Gustavia," in honour of King Gustav III.

The development of this area enabled the island to experience years of prosperity. Ships poured in from all over the Caribbean to call here and thus participate in its development.

During the Swedish period, an unusual factor for the era should be remembered. In 1814, a press release announced the opening of a school that taught “children of both colours and sexes”. They learnt French, English and Spanish and several other disciplines.

Even if the Swedish government closed their eyes during a certain period on the slave trade, it did allow the abolition of slavery in 1847, one year before France, by buying the freedom of all island's slaves at the expense of the crown of Sweden.

St. Barthelemy…French island

At the end of the 1810s, the period of prosperity declined. Many of St. Barthelemy’s inhabitants left the island for nearby colonies: Demerara, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas etc… After the abolition, most of the former slaves and also the former "free coloured” were involved in this exodus, which explains why today the population of St. Barthelemy is predominantly white.

On August 10, 1877, Oscar II, King of Norway and Sweden, signed a treaty that surrendered the island to France for the modest sum of 320,000 francs. This measure was adopted after consultation with the residents and took effect one year later, in 1878. St. Barthelemy became an archipelago of Guadeloupe. Dating from the Swedish era, there remains still some remnants today in Gustavia. There are almost no traces of the Forts Karl and Oscar, two of the three forts built during this period.

After the Second World War in 1946, France reorganized its former colonies. St. Barthelemy became a district of the new Department of Overseas which is Guadeloupe. It was not until 2003 that the people voted for their "independence". The island of St. Barthelemy and St. Martin have evolved since 2007, under the status of Overseas Communities.