History of Guadalajara
History of Mérida
History of Oaxaca
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
History of Guadalajara
History of Mérida
History of Oaxaca
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
FROM A FILIBUSTERS' ENCLAVE TO A CAPITAL OF THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY
Pre-Hispanic Era
During the pre-Hispanic era, Isla del Carmen belonged to the Tixchel chiefdom, whose capital was located in the northeast.
At the arrival of the first Spaniards, the island was deserted, but they found evidence of previous habitation.
Colonial Era
The arrival of the Spaniards to the island was accidental when the fleet of Juan de Grijalva had to cross a narrow passage between the mainland and an island that had gone unnoticed by navigators due to the need to repair some ship damages.
Juan de Grijalva believed that the waters through which the fleet had entered led to the end of that island. Thus, he named those waters and the island on the other side of the strait "Términos," as they believed it marked the end of what they considered to be the Yucatán Island. This was how the Spaniard Antón de Alaminos discovered Ciudad del Carmen or "Isla de Términos" on October 17, 1518. He named it Puerto Real, a name it still retains. Subsequent explorations convinced Alaminos that Yucatán was a peninsula, but both the large lagoon and the island continued to be called Términos.
Later, it was known as Tris, which is thought to derive from "Triste" (Sad) because the Spaniards called it that after finding it uninhabited. Another version suggests that the word Términos was abbreviated to "Tris" since it was the name used in the navigation charts of that time.
Starting in 1570, the island began to be frequently visited by a group of Englishmen and became, along with Bacalar, Quintana Roo, the main refuge for pirates.
Historia de Ciudad del Carmen
The dye wood was used to color various goods, fabrics, liquors, and wines. When the English learned of its use, they tried to exploit it by extracting it near Cabo Catoche, Quintana Roo. However, when they encountered problems cutting and shipping it, they looked for more suitable sites. Thus, they decided to settle on Isla de Tris in the mid-17th century.
Consequently, the island was occupied by English, French, and Dutch pirates who used it as a base for transporting precious woods, which turned out to be a lucrative business.
In 1672, the viceroy of New Spain, Antonio Sebastián de Toledo, sent the first expedition against the pirates of Tris under Alonso de Huidobro's command. The fleet consisted of 3 ships, but they failed in their enterprise.
It was not until July 16, 1718, when a squadron under the command of Major Sergeant Alonso Felipe de Andrade inflicted a terrible defeat on the filibusters.
To prevent their return, a fortification (known as a presidio or fort) and a permanent military camp were established on the island. It was baptized with the name "del Carmen" because it was considered a miracle that the Virgin del Carmen had allowed the pirates to be defeated on her day. Thus, the island of Tris was renamed with that name, which endures to this day. The name Términos remained only for the lagoon.
The colonization of Isla del Carmen was carried out with families from the province of Campeche and others from Yucatán and Tabasco. Some English logging camps were occupied by Spaniards, who continued their exploitation and introduced cattle breeding. By 1790, the total population of Ciudad del Carmen was 3,100 people: 41% were Black and Mulatto, 36% were Spanish and Mestizo, and the remaining 23% were Native.
19th century
During the colonial period and the 19th century, the dye wood was one of the primary commodities found in Ciudad del Carmen. Later, the export of precious woods (mahogany and cedar) gave it a Porfirian shine.
In 1853, it was declared a federal territory, and in 1863, it was incorporated into the state of Campeche as a city and the seat of the municipality.
Around the mid-20th century, the fishing or rather the shrimp cycle began, bringing new growth to the city, and it became one of the most important fishing fleets in the country.
Modern Era
In 1980, Carmen was chosen by PEMEX as the site for the support and service facilities for the offshore oil platforms.
MANY FLAVORS TO DISCOVER
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