Capitanía General de Cuba

*Consists of Cuba*

*Dominant culture: Spanish*

## History

The island was discovered by Columbus on his first journey, but the first settlement wasn't built until 1511 when Baracoa was founded. The native Taíno people fiercely resisted Spanish occupation, there were even refugees from the island of Hispaniola that escaped Spanish occupation to help with the resistance on Cuba. In the end this all proved to be futile since the Spanish defeated the Taíno resistance and massacred the population.
In 1513 the Spanish started experimenting with the Encomienda system where a person would receive a number of natives to work under him. He would take tribute from them but in turn be responsible for feeding, protecting and converting them to Christianity. Because the Natives kept dying from Spanish diseases, even those that were imported from other Caribbean islands, the system was not very successful. In 1549 the new Spanish governor freed all Natives from encomienda and considered them to be free vassals of the crown. Several towns were set up for the Natives and their descendants still live there, although most of them now have a bit of Spanish blood flowing through their veins.
The Spanish then started importing African slaves as labor for their sugar plantations.
Cuba was a popular target for pirates and privateers from the 16th century onward. There were also several invasion attempts from other nations, some of those even partially successful, but the Spanish were able to hold on to Cuba.

## Points of Interest

* La Habana, capital of Cuba and one of the most populous cities in the New World. It has somewhere around 100000 people living there. The city is a very important port with the facilities to refit ships and one of the few drydocks in the New World. The city is a designated stopping point for the Spanish convoys back to the Old World.
* Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro, La Habana. A fort guarding the entrance to Habana Bay. It has a chain strung out across the bay to Catillo San Salvador de la Punta.
* Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Gerónimo de la Habana, La Habana. One of the first universities to be founded in the New World. It has royal and papal authorization.
* Castillo de la Real Fuerza, La Habana. Residence of the governor of La Habana.
* Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis, La Habana. Home of the Franciscan brothers.
* Plaza del Mercado, La Habana. Large commercial market square.
* Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe, a city moved inland because of continuous attacks from pirates. It is built with many winding alleys, forked streets, blind alleys and various squares of different sizes making for a very confusing design and a maze-like city. There are also many clay pots or tinajón of various sizes in the city for capturing rainwater. Local legend says that if you drink water from a girl's personal tinajón, you will fall in love with the girl and never leave her.
* Moròn, a city on the northern coast of Cuba first settled by Creoles and a group of Spanish sailors that sailed all around Cuba.
* Laguna de Leche (Milk Lagoon), Moròn. The largest fresh water lake in Cuba, it has a white color caused by the lake's limestone bed.
* Alquízar, coffee plantation.
* San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas. A city on the northern shore of Cuba, it is situated on the three sides of a bay. There are three rivers flowing through the city and many bridges over those rivers, the city is often referred to as the City of Bridges.
* Isla de Pinos, large island south of Cuba. It is known for it's pirate activity in and around the island. The Spanish mostly ignore it and the Knights can't do much about the problem because it is in Spanish territory.
* Villa de la Santísima Trinidad, a city on the southern coast of Cuba ruled over by the Iznaga family who reside in the Casa de los Sánchez Iznaga. The city is a center for sugar and slave trade coming in from the Valle de los Ingenios, a series of three interconnected valleys that are a center for sugar production in the region. There are about 30 sugar mills in the valleys and roughly 20000 slaves working the plantations.
* Sancti Spíritus, a city inland from Villa de la Santísima Trinidad that is ruled by the Iznaga family as well. The family has a large manor here mostly used for entertaining guests. There is also a green-towered church in the city.
* Bayamo, an inland city that uses it's trade up and down the river to remain an agricultural and economical center. Because of it's inland location it is relatively safe from pirate attacks. It used to trade over the Cauto river, but a huge flood choked the river with trees, mud and wrecked vessels in 1616. Currently it trades through the coastal town of Manzanillo, but there are plans to open up the river for deepwater vessels again.
* Santiago de Cuba, one of the oldest cities on Cuba and for a short time even the capital. Hernan de Soto and Hernán Cortés left on their expeditions from this city. It is protected by the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, a fortress that has recently been renovated into a powerful bulwark.
* Baracoa, a city on the east coast of Cuba. It's isolated location makes it perfect for illegal trade with the English, French and even pirates.
* Ciénaga de Zapata (Zapata Swamp). A huge swamp near the southern coast of Cuba, it's a dangerous place to traverse. The this is the only place where the indigenous Cuban crocodiles are found, they're very dangerous creatures.

## Link Sites

* La Habana (1st ring)
* Santiago de Cuba (1st ring)
* Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe (2nd ring)
* Moròn (2nd ring)
* San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas (3rd ring)
* Isla de Pinos(3rd ring)