Old Fort of Nassau
Encyclopedia
The Old Fort of Nassau was a fort in Nassau, Bahamas
, first built in 1697 and lasted for nearly two hundred years with a rich legacy of history till it was finally demolished in 1897.
It was located on the north side of Marlborough St., on the site of the current British Colonial Hilton Nassau
. Remnants of the old walls can be seen on the hotel grounds. For many years it was the only fort in Nassau.
was the first to think of building forts first in his new found islands in Bahamas to secure it for Spain
, it was put into action only in 1687 by private people with intent on piracy oriented actions, in cohets with the then governors of the islands, in the Caribbean
. The reason for establishing the fort at Bahamas was the sacking of the town and killing of the British Governor by the Spanish with support from French
ships which had caused the islanders to flee. In order to prevent further such attacks, at the intervention of Charles II
, in 1684 the town was resettled. In order to make the town more secure an Act was passed in 1695 not only for building of the town but also to build a defensive fort. This fort was built in 1697 and named as Nassau, after King William III
. It underwent several invasions, rebuilding and final dismantling in 1897.
When built first in 1697 the fort was fortified with 22 cannons. In just about 3 years, part of the fort was damaged in an attack by the Spaniards in 1700, and two years later in 1702 Governor Elias Haskett was imprisoned in the fort. The allied forces of Spain
and France
attacked the New Providence
when the fort suffered severe damages with the guns getting immobilized and the inhabitants forced to leave the town. Soon pirates operating from the fort became a common event.
However, on the urgings of the business community of London, George I sent forces, in 1718, to govern the island and to get rid of piratic operations. The governor set to action by restoring the island to normalcy when only one nine ponder canon was found in the fort in total disrepair. It was only in 1741, a serious effort was made to get the fort restored under the guidance of an experienced engineer. The fort was renovated in 1744 with 54 cannon and 26 brass mortars. The process of neglect and frequent repairs followed and in 1776 the fort was attacked by the American Colonies who were fighting the British forces, to capture the ammunition stored here. The American naval Forces found only 100 guns since the ammunition had been stealthily moved to Boston
before the attack. However, the Governor had been taken hostage in the bargain.
The last act of attack on the fort was by the Spaniards in 1782, when they took control of the fort and held it till 1783 until the war with England ended in 1783. During this time, a valiant effort made by Colonel Deveaux was fruitful to bring the saga of repeated attack and destruction of the fort. The fort was garrisoned in 1787 and new fort was ordered to be built to defend the island. In the French revolution that followed, the old fort was allowed to remain in state of disrepair till it was decided to fully demolish it in 1897.
It was at the ruins of this fort on its western wing that the British Colonial Hilton Hotel was decided to be built.
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, first built in 1697 and lasted for nearly two hundred years with a rich legacy of history till it was finally demolished in 1897.
It was located on the north side of Marlborough St., on the site of the current British Colonial Hilton Nassau
British Colonial Hilton Nassau
British Colonial Hilton Nassau is a luxury five-star or AAA four-diamond colonial hotel in downtown Nassau, Bahamas, located on the only private beach of Nassau, on the site of the Old Fort of Nassau, near the Christ Church Cathedral and Greek Orthodox Church...
. Remnants of the old walls can be seen on the hotel grounds. For many years it was the only fort in Nassau.
History
Even though ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
was the first to think of building forts first in his new found islands in Bahamas to secure it for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, it was put into action only in 1687 by private people with intent on piracy oriented actions, in cohets with the then governors of the islands, in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. The reason for establishing the fort at Bahamas was the sacking of the town and killing of the British Governor by the Spanish with support from French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ships which had caused the islanders to flee. In order to prevent further such attacks, at the intervention of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, in 1684 the town was resettled. In order to make the town more secure an Act was passed in 1695 not only for building of the town but also to build a defensive fort. This fort was built in 1697 and named as Nassau, after King William III
King William III
William III may refer to:* William III of Aquitaine * William III of Toulouse * William III of Provence * William III of Montferrat * William III of Angoulême * William III of Ponthieu William III may refer to:* William III of Aquitaine (915–963)* William III of Toulouse (died 1037)* William III of...
. It underwent several invasions, rebuilding and final dismantling in 1897.
When built first in 1697 the fort was fortified with 22 cannons. In just about 3 years, part of the fort was damaged in an attack by the Spaniards in 1700, and two years later in 1702 Governor Elias Haskett was imprisoned in the fort. The allied forces of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
attacked the New Providence
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It also houses the national capital city, Nassau.The island was originally under Spanish control following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, but the Spanish government showed...
when the fort suffered severe damages with the guns getting immobilized and the inhabitants forced to leave the town. Soon pirates operating from the fort became a common event.
However, on the urgings of the business community of London, George I sent forces, in 1718, to govern the island and to get rid of piratic operations. The governor set to action by restoring the island to normalcy when only one nine ponder canon was found in the fort in total disrepair. It was only in 1741, a serious effort was made to get the fort restored under the guidance of an experienced engineer. The fort was renovated in 1744 with 54 cannon and 26 brass mortars. The process of neglect and frequent repairs followed and in 1776 the fort was attacked by the American Colonies who were fighting the British forces, to capture the ammunition stored here. The American naval Forces found only 100 guns since the ammunition had been stealthily moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
before the attack. However, the Governor had been taken hostage in the bargain.
The last act of attack on the fort was by the Spaniards in 1782, when they took control of the fort and held it till 1783 until the war with England ended in 1783. During this time, a valiant effort made by Colonel Deveaux was fruitful to bring the saga of repeated attack and destruction of the fort. The fort was garrisoned in 1787 and new fort was ordered to be built to defend the island. In the French revolution that followed, the old fort was allowed to remain in state of disrepair till it was decided to fully demolish it in 1897.
It was at the ruins of this fort on its western wing that the British Colonial Hilton Hotel was decided to be built.