Complex sentence: It is in an area not particularly suited to agriculture, due to its poor and very rocky soil, but was settled, beginning in 1693, because its inland location afforded protection from pirates and from enemy navies.
Split into simpler sentences: It is in an area not particularly suited to agriculture, due to its poor and very rocky soil. Nevertheless it was settled, beginning in 1693, because its inland location afforded protection from pirates and from enemy navies.