Port Royal - Colonization of Port Royal, Piracy in Port Royal, Earthquake of 1692 and its aftermath, Miscellaneous

A French religious and intellectual community occupying the former convent of Port-Royal-des-Champs, near Paris. It was associated with the Jansenist movement, and founded by the Abbé de Saint-Cyran (1637), a friend and admirer of the theologian, Cornelius Jansen, himself a devotee of Augustinian philosophy. The community was dispersed in 1665, and the convent destroyed (1710–11).

During the 17th century, the British actively encouraged and even paid buccaneers based at Port Royal to attack Spanish and French shipping.

An earthquake, on June 7, 1692, largely destroyed Port Royal, causing two thirds of the city to sink into the Caribbean Sea.

Colonization of Port Royal

Situated at the western end of the Palisadoes sand spit that protects Kingston Harbour, Port Royal was well-positioned as a harbor.

For much of the period between the English conquest of Jamaica and the earthquake, Port Royal served as the capital of Jamaica;

Piracy in Port Royal

Port Royal, located along the shipping lanes to and from Spain and Panama, provided a safe harbour for pirates. Buccaneers found Port Royal appealing for several reasons. From Port Royal, Henry Morgan attacked Panama, Portobello, and Maracaibo. Bartholomew Roberts, Roche Brasiliano, John Davis, and Edward Mansveldt (Mansfield) also came to Port Royal.

Since the English lacked sufficient troops to prevent either the Spanish or French from seizing it, the Jamaican governors eventually turned to the pirates to defend the city.

By the 1660s, the city had gained a reputation as the Sodom of the New World where most residents were pirates, cutthroats, or prostitutes. When Charles Leslie wrote his history of Jamaica, he included a description of the pirates of Port Royal:

Port Royal grew to be one of the two largest towns and the most economically important port in the English colonies. During a twenty-year period that ended in 1692, nearly 6,500 people lived in Port Royal.

Following Henry Morgan’s appointment as lieutenant governor, Port Royal began to change. Instead of being a safe haven for pirates, Port Royal became noted as their place of execution.

Earthquake of 1692 and its aftermath

On June 7, 1692, a devastating earthquake hit the city causing the sand spit on which it was built to liquefy and flow out into Kingston Harbour.

After the earthquake on June 7, 1692, many believed the destruction to be an "Act of God" because of the city's sinful reputation.

Some attempts were made to rebuild the city, starting with the one third of the city that was not submerged, but these met with mixed success and numerous disasters. Subsequent rebuilding was hampered by several hurricanes in the first half of the 18th century, and soon Kingston eclipsed Port Royal in importance.

A new Town of Port Royal was constructed near Old Port Royal and it became the principal station of the British naval forces in the Caribbean.

A final devastating earthquake on January 14, 1907 again liquefied the sand spit, destroying nearly all of the rebuilt city and submerging additional portions.

Miscellaneous

Port Royal Sound is located between Hilton Head Island and Parris Island, South Carolina A popular brand of tobacco sold in Australia and New Zealand is also named after Port Royal. Port Royal was featured in the 1935 Errol Flynn hit movie "Captain Blood". Port Royal was also featured in the 2003 hit movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and in 2006 with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and will be again in 2007 with Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End Port Royal was also mentioned in the legendary adventure game "The Secret of Monkey Island". When you go past the bridge to the house on the far end of Melee Island to learn how to fight with a sword, one eyed Jack, says that he remembers fighting side-to-side with Carla, the Swordmaster, in Port Royal. The Port Royal from the movie named above was also featured in the video game Kingdom Hearts II. Metal band Running Wild have a song about the city on their album Port Royal. Port Royal is the main city of the Caribbean world of piracy in the computer game Port Royale.