History of the Kingsborough Islands

















 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much of the earliest history of the islands is lost in the mists of time but when Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 to subsequently discover the Caribbean and claim territory there for Spain, his first stop came much closer to home. 

 

Columbus sighted land much earlier than expected and upon landing found people, clearly of European descent, already living there.

Who these inhabitants were or where they originally came from is unknown to this day but they are believed to have first sailed from England without any records being kept of who they were, where or how they had raised the money for a ship or what their intentions were.

 

Legend has it that their ship had been wrecked on rocks near what is now Falmouth, on the north-east corner of the south island and having made it to land, with no means of continuing their journey, settled there.

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Although a small group of his men remained, settling there themselves, Columbus went on his way and it was not until John Cabot arrived in 1497 that more formal arrangements took place. Despite the presence of  a small number of Columbus's men, Cabot found the inhabitants declaring an allegiance to England and King Henry VII, although significantly, maintaining their own sovereign status and independence.

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With two main islands, north and south, it was an area rich in natural resources and with fast-growing trade opportunities, this enabled the Islanders to become wealthy, further asserting their independence. The establishment of a recognised Royal Family led to the crowning of King James I, born and raised on the south island as the reigning monarch, and chosen by the people. 

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James proved to be a wise and shrewd leader, using the already immense trade and the wealth derived from it, between the islands, England, Spain, Portugal and France, to further develop the growing city.

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When conflict broke out between England and Spain in 1585, with the islands now led by James I's successor, Geoffrey I, a strictly neutral stance was adopted and fruitful trade between the islands and both warring nations continued.

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With James I widely considered to be the founding father of the islands as a nation state in itself, King Geoffrey established a new capital and named it Kingsborough. As well as the existing castle, built many years earlier, further fortifications were constructed in various strategic locations to ensure neutrality remained.

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Upon the Acts of Union in 1707 giving birth to the Kingdom of Great Britain, a 'people's vote' confirmed the allegiance to the new unitary state, although still maintaining its own sovereign status. Despite various disturbances on the British side, The Kingsborough Islands and the United Kingdom have remained indelibly linked ever since.

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Header Image - ValkrieEir

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