Allegedly discovered by Christopher Columbus, Tortuga, an island shaped like a turtle, became inhabited by the French boucaniers (they smoked meat on boucans). The French arrived after the Spanish drove them out of Hispaniola.

In the years that followed many different types of unsavoury characters joined the French both on the island and in their hatred of the Spanish. The word ‘boucaniers’ soon evolved into ‘buccaneers’.

It is believed that the first buccanneer to use Tortuga as a base of operations was Pierre LeGrand. Later two other famous pirates that we will be writing about - L’Ollanais and Henry Morgan - would also use Tortuga as a haven.

The actual island of Tortuga is 69sq metres in area, measuring 20 miles long and up to 4 miles wide. It’s proximity to Cuba, the last waypoint for Spanish treasure fleets returning to their sovereign nation, made it an excellent staging area for attacks.

The buccaneers that operated out of Tortuga referred to themselves as the Brethren of the Coast and all signed documents that dictated their behavious and shares of treasures, known as the Custom of the Coast.

Around the year 1650 the French appointed their first governor for Tortuga, a man known as John Le Vasseur, who was more than happy to accomodate pirates in return for a share of any treasures they came by. Sch was his relationship with the pirates that at one time he even brought over 1600 prostitutes to the island to cater for the pirates.

After Le Vasseur died Spain took Tortuga and the pirates swiftly departed. Then in 1656 they returned after England seized the island from the Spanish. In 1659 the French once again took control and enlisted the help of the pirates in the defense of the island.

Shortly afterwards Petit Goave took over as the pirates’ preferred base of operations such that Tortuga ceased to be a haven by the year 1688.

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