Colonie de Saint-Domingue

Consists of Western part of Hispaniola, Île de la Tortue (Tortuga), Île de la Gonâve, Île-à-Vaches (Cow Island), Les Cayemites, La Navasse

Dominant culture: French

History
Spain discovered and started to colonize of the island of Hispaniola in the 1490's, but when they started conquering lands on mainland Vespuccia their interest in the island started to decrease. This allowed French buccaneers to first establish a settlement on the island of Tortuga from which they started raiding Spanish ships. In later years they started establishing colonies on the main island as well. The Spanish formally ceded the western part of Hispaniola to France in 1697. It is now the richest and most valuable French colony in the Caribbean, it produces more sugar than all British Caribbean islands combined. The island is the birthplace of the Voudou religion. There is a large population of mixed-race free people that don't have the same rights as French-born colonists. There is tension between the two groups. These mixed-race people are mostly the offspring of white plantation owners and their colored mistresses.

Points of Interest

 * Cap-Français, Hispaniola. Capital of Saint-Domingue
 * Port-au-Prince, Hispaniola. A city that started out as a base with a hospital for French buccaneers.
 * Léogane, Hispaniola. French harbor town built on the capital of a former Native chiefdom.
 * Etang Saumâtre (Brackish Pond), largest lake on the island of Hispaniola.
 * Île-à-Vaches (Cow Island), a small island off the southern coast of Hispaniola. It has several large swamps and a mangrove forest in a lagoon. The island is also surrounded by several dangerous shoals, reefs, and rocks that have been the cause of many shipwrecks.
 * Fort-Dauphin, strategic fortification on the northern coast of Hispaniola.
 * Île de la Tortue (Tortuga Island). This Island was formerly a famous pirate hideout and the capital of Saint-Domingue. The Brethren of the Coast were also primarily based on this Island. These pirates were never really controlled by France and used Tortuga to stash a lot of their booty.

Notable Inhabitants

 * François Mackandal, houngan (Voudou priest) and maroon leader. He is trying to unite the various bands of maroons and is developing plans to use slaves to poison the meals of their owners. Leads various raids on plantations. Has lost his right arm, it got crushed in a sugarcane press. Is very radical and wants to destroy white colonization on Saint-Domingue
 * Hubert de Brienne, Comte de Conflans, governor of Saint-Domingue. He is also a Chef d'escadre (squadron commander) of the French navy.
 * Marguerite Brunet (stage name Mademoiselle Montansier), a 20 year old actress that followed her love and his theater group to Saint-Domingue.

Link Sites

 * Cap-Français
 * Etang Saumâtre
 * Fort-Dauphin