Port-Au-Prince

History

The area before the arrival of Europeans

Before the arrival of Christophe Colomb, the area which includes/understands Port-au-Prince today was not the site of any permanent dwelling. At the end of the 15th century, the area was under the control of an Amerindian leader, Bohéchio, which, just like its predecessors, feared that to settle close to the littoral did not invite other tribes -- especially the Caribbean -- to come to attack them. The area was not thus used whereas for hunting.

Spanish colonization

After the arrival of the Spanish , the Amerindians were soon forced to subject itself to a Protectorat, and Bohéchio, died without children, left the place to Anacaona, his/her sister. This leading news (and poetess) stained to maintain good relationships with the new capacity on the island, but it became increasingly difficult to arrive there when the Spaniards started to ask for increasingly important tributes. Lastly, the Spanish colonial administration decided to eliminate forever any threat which could pose to him the Amerindian leading class, thus deciding to control only the area. Therefore, in 1503, Nicolás de Ovando, then governor, decided to finish some with Anacaona: it invited it to a festival at his place; it accepted, came there accompanied by other Amerindians. Ovando gave them much wine, and when they had drunk -- the Spaniards did not drink -- it ordered that one killed all the guests, with Anacaona share, that it wanted to make hang in a public place.

The effects of Spanish colonization on the Amerindians of this island were devastators; of 1492 with 1507, a million inhabitants died because of the violence of the conquistadores and the diseases.

After being itself removed from Anacaona, Ovando establishes a village close to the littoral (in the west of the Brackish Pond), which he baptized Santa Maria of Paz Verdadera, a quite ironic name when the history of his establishment is considered. However, this village did not last a long time; it was flaring initially by French explorers in 1535, then by English in 1592. These attacks made the life unbearable for the Spaniards, and in 1606, they decided to leave the village.

Domination of the flibustiers

During more than 50 years, the area which is Port-au-Prince today is hardly inhabited. Lastly, gradually from the pirates came to use it as a base of their operations, and Dutch merchants started to attend the area, because it was then an interesting source of Cuir.

Around 1650, Pirate S flibustiers French , lack place on the Île of the Tortoise started to arrive on the coast, and established a colony with Hole-Borded. Whereas the colony grew, they installed a Hôpital not far from the coast, on the Turgeau heights. That led to call them the area: Hospital.

Although there was then no true Spanish presence in Hôpital since good more than 60 years, Spain preserved its claim on the territory, and the presence openly growing of the flibustiers French on Spanish grounds caused the sending by the crown of Spain of Castilian soldiers in Hôpital to take it again. The mission appeared a disaster for the Spaniards, in numerical inferiority and armament. In 1697, the Spanish government signed the Traité of Ryswick, renonçant with all its claims on Hôpital. About at the same time, the French also established bases on Ester (with Small-River) and in Gonaïves.

Ester was a rich village, inhabited by merchants, with right streets; it was the residence of the governor. In addition, the surrounding area, Small-River, were rather poor. Following a large fire in 1711, Ester was abandoned. However the French presence in the area continued to grow, and shortly after a new city was founded in the south: Léogane.

The area which was to shelter Port-au-Prince later was that of the flibustiers . Whereas the area became a true French colony, the colonial administration came from there to be concerned with continual presence of these pirates. Although useful to push back English inclinations to cut down the French territory, they were rather independent, did not obey any order of the colonial administration, and were a potential threat for this one. During the winter 1707, Choiseul-Bowsprit, governor of the area, thus sought to get rid of what he regarded as a threat. He insisted to obtain the control of the hospital, which the flibustiers refused, regarding this request as a humiliation. They then preferred to close the hospital, rather than to yield it to the governor, and number of them became inhabitants of the island, farmers, the first stable European inhabitants of the area.

The foundation of the Port-au-Prince

Although the elimination of the flibustiers, like group, with Hospital, reinforced the authority of the colonial administration, it also made the area more desirable like target for the English. In order to protect the area, the captain of Saint-Andrew was able in bay on board vessel appointed the Prince , right under the hospital. Of Saint-Andrew the place named the Port of the Prince, although the port and the area continued to be known under the name of Hôpital (the small islands of bay were already named small islands of the Prince ).

The English did not tackle the place, and several noble sought gifts of ground of the French crown in Hôpital; the first noble one to control Hôpital was sior Joseph Randot. With its death in 1737, sior Pierre Morel divided it with Gatien Bretton of the Vaults.

At this time, the colonial administration had been convinced of the need for establishing a capital, in order to better control the French part of Saint-Domingue. Small-Goâve and Léogane claimed some time with this honor, before being eliminated. Firstly, they were not in central position. Then the climate of Small Goâve was too prone to paludism, and the topography of Léogane made its defense difficult. A new city was to be built: The Port with the Prince.

The Port with the Prince was founded in 1749 by the colonists French growers of Sucre, on the dwelling randot, with the beautiful-air; then extends rather quickly. In 1770, it replaced the French Cape like capital of the colony of Saint-Domingue. During the French revolutions it was renamed “Republican Port”. It became in 1804 the capital of the new independent country Haiti; the Haitian emperor Jacques I {{er}} returned the name of Port-au-Prince to him. When Haiti divided itself in kingdom (in north) and republic (in the south), Port-au-Prince was useful like capital of the republic under Alexandre Pétion.

Inheritance

The principal buildings are the National Palate, the National museum, the law courts, Palais of the ministries, palate of the contributions, the tower 2004, the Hospital of the university of state of Haiti, Evêché de Port-au-Prince, the Manrese villa, the Municipality, Caserne Dessalines, the old general headquarter of the army, the Basilica of Notre-Dame and the iron market.

Neighborhoods

Port-au-Prince is also the sub-prefecture of a Arrondissement of the same name. The district includes/understands eight communes: Port-au-Prince, Delmas, Crossroads, Pétionville, Kenscoff, Gressier, Quoted Sun and Tabarre. Those are often regarded as suburbs or peripheral zones of the capital.

Archbishop's palace

Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince
Cathedral of Port-au-Prince

Famous characters

Wagneau Eloi, professional footballer

Simple: Port-au-Prince

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