Colonization of Martinique

French King Louis XIII sent the founder of the American Islands Company, Prime Minister Richelieu to Martinique in 1626 to form and exploit a new colony. Colonization finally took off in July of 1635 with the settling of Pierre Belain d’ Esnambuc on the western coast of the island. Within four years the French had started a system of direct rule, importing both indentured French servants and slaves purchased from the African coast. Early production on the island included tobacco and cotton and required very little labor. In 1640 the company suffered financial problems and was forced to sell the island to French noble, Dyel Duparquet. Under Duparquet an edict was formed forbidding the use of nati

ves as slaves, limiting the number of slaves on the island to only a few dozen. Although protected from slavery, the Carib natives were slowly fought off the land and were finally slaughtered and defeated by 1658.

During the American Revolution the island of Martinique was operated as a shipping center for arms being sent to colonial revolutionaries in North America for their fight against the British. French royal armies commander in North American, Rochambeau was deployed to Martinique as governor during the Revolution. Rochambeau organized slave militia on the island in response to British threats; these slaves were promised freedom if they remained properly behaved. The outbreak of the French Revolution made the importation of food and exportation of sugar quite difficult, forcing the island to rely on its own planting for consumption. The French Convention of 1793 sought the abolition of slavery yet was rejected by the settlers of Martinique. Creole settlers on Martinique asked for protection from the British, thus allowing the continuation of slave labor. Martinique was dominated by the British until 1804.

In 1645 Martinique was visited by a group of Dutch settlers from northeastern Brazil who brought with them the means and knowledge for the production of sugar. Sugar-cane soon replaced tobacco as the island’s chief crop and required a much larger labor force for its production. Indentured servants were

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