Far beyond the line: Corsairs, privateers, buccaneers, and invading settlers in Cuba and the Caribbean (1529-1670)

Abstract

This essay connects the course of war and peace in Europe with a variety of forms of European incursion in the Caribbean during the 1500s and 1600s. With special attention to Cuba, it traces the emergence and evolution of piracy and privateering as well as European colonial expansion by settlers and buccaneers. This essay also provides a systematic analysis of how belligerence in the Old World impacted the Caribbean. Lastly, it explores Spain's efforts to protect its colonies through fortifications, fleet systems, and increased military presence.