February 15 – Introduction to series

February 22- Building the Castillo de San Marcos

In this episode, we’ll discuss the events that led to the Spanish crown finally replacing a wooden fort with a Coquina stone one. We will discuss the constant pressure Spanish Florida, a prosperous colony in the 1600’s felt from French and English raiding, piracy and disease impacting the native population. Florida’s rapid decline from successful Spanish colony, to a mostly depopulated military outpost began in this period.

March 1- Queen Anne’s War Part I

We discuss the outset of Queen Anne’s War, the large number of runaway slaves that made their way to Florida. The war begins and the Battle of Flint River (modern day Georgia, but then part of Florida) is a major English victory, but the Spanish are able to hold out and defend St Augustine against an English siege led by Carolina Governor James Moore.

March 8 – Queen Anne’s War Part II

The Apalachee Massacre depopulates the Big Bend region of Florida, destroying missions and allowing the English to take natives back to Charleston as slaves. Pensacola (then not part of Florida) survives and English siege. Peace is made and Florida goes through a period of the colony being repurposed after the depopulation of the 1670-1707 era. Pensacola falls to the French and once it is back in Spanish hands, it is added to the colony of Florida.