History

Isla Puerta was colonized in 1752 by the now famous explorers Kaspero Playa and Wilco Zafiro. They initially colonized Isla Kaspero, not realizing there was a far greater landmass just east of their location.

## Colonization

In 1749 a small exploration fleet set off from spain to find new land to settle. The fleet, counting 200 people on five ships, was lead by Kaspero Playa and Wilco Zafiro, accompanied by experienced explorer Ricardo Piña. After having sailed for three years without finding new land, losing one ship and at least 50 men and women, they found the island of Isla Kaspero, on wich they landed, sheltering for an oncoming hurricane. They found their shelter in the small bay of Bahia del Wilco, where they built their settlement and port in the coming years.

### Initial Settling

The initial settlement consisted of several large group houses, a town hall made out of one of the ships, several farms, a fishing dock and a few workshops. The climate was nice and the ground was fertile, and the waters around the island were so rich in fish and sea fruits that there was no reason to explore beyond the shores of the island. Up until 1768 the existance of Isla Forraye was completely unknown. In 1768 Ricardo Piña took a small sailing boat and explored Islas de Tormenta, which were unexplored, but know to be very smell. When he passed these islands, however, Piña found more land hidden behind the islands. This was the far-western point of Costa Rocoso. He sailed into Laguna de Barcos (Lagune of boats), where he found several abandoned boats caught on the rocks and shores of it, which had been brought there by winds and currents.

Piña never set food on the land, however, and he wrote in his reports that he had seen "A negroid man carrying a spear, staring at me silently, but immistakeably threatening.".

### Expansion

At first the colony was not growing. There were few women in the settlement, and the three-year journey had weakened many people, causing a higher than usual mortality rate. However, when message was brought out (by carrier pigeon) that the settlement had been founded, several ships carrying new settlers began to arrive, triggering increasing growth. This also countered the natural decline in populations, and soon the population becan growing increasingly.

This caused a number of problems. Food became scarse, as well as living space. Plans were created to settle the thusfar unexplored island of Isla Forraje, and in 1776 Piña and Playa set sail to find a good place for a larger settlement. They discovered Gran Bahia, and settled in Puerta Hermosa, overlooking Gran Bahia.

Over the course of years the colony continued to grow steadily, both naturally and from immigration.

### Battles

Isla Puerta is known to be one of the most peaceful places on earth. It's remained neutral in all wars influencing it. There were only two battles that have been recorded.

#### Pirates

During the exploration of Isla Huracan a large settlement was discovered in Bahia del Pirates. This settlement surrounded Naufragio Cala, and consisted out of a large amount of beached ships and make-shift housing, and featured 'countless' docks. The settlement was a Pirate port, burocratically ran by a number of Pirate captains. It functioned as a resting point, trading settlement and even featured a dry dock. With aid of the Spanish navy the port was attacked and partially burned down. All buildings were sacked, all ships were sunk, and piles of boulders were dumped in the bay entrance, to prevent the pirates from returning.

The settlement was never inhabited again, out of fear that the pirates would return to reclaim their port, and even in modern times the ruins remain abandoned.

#### English

When exploration parties tried to make their way onto Isla Voltura they found a settlement ran by English colonists. They had not built a large settlement. It consisted of a fort overlooking Bahia Forto, a number of shacks, a dock, and a military camp. The exact purpose and age of the settlement has never been found; no records of it remain.

The explorers snuck into the military camp at night, and ignited their gunpowder reserves. The fort, which was ill equipped, was charged at the same time and overthrown. All English settlers were killed, and all buildings except for the fort were sacked and burned down.

## Spanish Rule

Up until 1804 Isla Puerta was autonomously ran by the original founders, Kaspero Playa and Wilco Zafiro, and a council of advisors. in 1804 the Spanish king, claimed rightful ownership of the colony. The king requested one govenour to be appointed by the former government. However, the council of advisors and the explorers themselves unanimously voted for both Playa and Zafiro to both share the position of govenour. The king allowed for the position to be shared, and for the next 4 years both were govenours, after which they both retired.

## Independance

Isla Puerta remained under spanish rule for close to 100 years. In 1899 a declaration of independance was proposed, and after several years of debate, in 1904 the declaration of independance was peacefully signed, and Isla Puerta formed it's own government. At this point this was an aristocratic goverment compiled from the descendants of the original settlers, but over the course of the years the political system grew more democratic.