Louis XIV, France's Sun King, had global Overseas Grand Visions for his
nation. In America. His transformation of struggling small Caribbean
settlements into an extensive and very prosperous French domain amidst
many challenges and battles are mostly unknown. Thanks to research
mostly in France's overseas archives, we offer this study. In its first
narrative nine chapter, covering the 16th to the early 18th century, the
West Indies and much of coastal Latin America were in near-perpetual
hostilities largely caused by the fantastic riches found in America.
Spain claimed the continent with its gold and silver, often eliminating
foreigners by the sword. French and British corsairs and later settlers
and soldiers nevertheless occupied small islands; in 1655, a British
expedition occupied much larger Jamaica. Meanwhile, mostly French
adventurers were roaming in the wilderness of western Haiti (then called
saint-Domingue). When caught by Spaniards, they were given no quarter.
They became the buccaneers or Brethren's of the Coast, amongst of the
most redoubtable warriors in History, bent upon revenge upon any
Spaniards. Trough them, the Sun King saw the opportunity to secure his
small islands and Guyana by sending troops, ships, weapons while, more
discreetly providing much officious support to buccaneers in
Saint-Domingue. Regular French troops, buccaneers and the navy often
united their efforts in expeditions such as the capture of Cartagena de
Indias and Rio de Janeiro. They also fought in the Pacific and, after
1700, even escorted Spanish treasure fleets. Louis XIVs efforts were
successful and, by 1715, the French domain was sizeable and amongst the
most lucrative anywhere.
The remaining chapters and appendices outlay the organization of regular
troops, notably the hitherto largely unknown establishments of
Compagnies franches de la Marine (independent companies of the navy) of
the Islands as permanent garrisons in the West Indies and Guyana, their
services, lifestyles, weapons, uniforms and colors. The buccaneers will
also be similarly presented and readers may expect huge differences with
cinema buccaneers, the real one being in dirty linen clothes armed with
distinctive "buccaneers muskets" of renowned accuracy and their own
standards and colors.
Militiamen were also very important and often fighting. Their
organization, which included Afro-Caribbeans, as well as weapons,
costumes and known uniforms are presented. Fortifications, especially
their West Indian peculiarities, are further discussed. A chronology of
most battles, appendices and annotated bibliography round out the work.
