Charlesfort-Santa Elena Site
Encyclopedia
Charlesfort-Santa Elena Site is an archeological site on Parris Island, South Carolina
, which is also known as Ribaut Monument, San Marcos, San Felipe, or 38BU51 and 38BU162. It is the site of two settlements dating to the time of European colonization
: Charlesfort, founded by the French explorer Jean Ribault
in 1562, and Santa Elena
, founded by the Spanish in 1566. For some background see Timeline of the colonization of North America.
and led by the Norman navigator Jean Ribault
landed at the site on the May River in February 1562, before moving north to Port Royal Sound
. There, on present-day Parris Island, South Carolina
, Ribault left twenty-eight men to build a settlement known as Charlesfort. Ribault then returned to Europe to arrange supplies for the new colony, but was arrested in England due to complications arising from the French Wars of Religion
, which prevented his return.
After Ribault left, much of his settlers' stores were burned, and Captain Albert's heavy discipline led to the tiny group attempting to return to France. Without supplies or leadership, and beset by hostility from the native populations, all but one of the colonists sailed back to Europe after only a year. They built their own boat and set sail, without compass, across the Atlantic. During their voyage in an open boat, they were reduced to cannibalism before the survivors were rescued in English waters.
The survivors were rescued by an English ship, and some eventually reached France. Shortly after their departure, Hernando de Manrique de Rojas
commanded a Spanish force from Cuba that went and destroyed the French fort, and took captive the one Frenchman who had remained with the local Native Americans in the region of the fort.
The Charlesfort-Santa Elena site is nationally significant because it illustrates the competition for the New World. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 2001.
The SC DAH summary is here.
Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
, which is also known as Ribaut Monument, San Marcos, San Felipe, or 38BU51 and 38BU162. It is the site of two settlements dating to the time of European colonization
European colonization of the Americas
The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492. The first Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement in present day Newfoundland...
: Charlesfort, founded by the French explorer Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault was a French naval officer, navigator, and a colonizer of what would become the southeastern United States. He was a major figure in the French attempts to colonize Florida...
in 1562, and Santa Elena
Santa Elena, la Florida
Santa Elena was a Spanish settlement founded by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina. There had been a number of earlier attempts to establish colonies in the area by both the Spanish and the French, who had been inspired by earlier accounts of the plentiful land...
, founded by the Spanish in 1566. For some background see Timeline of the colonization of North America.
Charlesfort (1562-1563)
Charlesfort (1562-1563) was established when a French expedition, organized by Protestant leader Admiral Gaspard de ColignyGaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
and led by the Norman navigator Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault was a French naval officer, navigator, and a colonizer of what would become the southeastern United States. He was a major figure in the French attempts to colonize Florida...
landed at the site on the May River in February 1562, before moving north to Port Royal Sound
Port Royal Sound
Port Royal Sound is a coastal sound, or inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the Sea Islands region, in Beaufort County in the U.S. state of South Carolina...
. There, on present-day Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
, Ribault left twenty-eight men to build a settlement known as Charlesfort. Ribault then returned to Europe to arrange supplies for the new colony, but was arrested in England due to complications arising from the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, which prevented his return.
After Ribault left, much of his settlers' stores were burned, and Captain Albert's heavy discipline led to the tiny group attempting to return to France. Without supplies or leadership, and beset by hostility from the native populations, all but one of the colonists sailed back to Europe after only a year. They built their own boat and set sail, without compass, across the Atlantic. During their voyage in an open boat, they were reduced to cannibalism before the survivors were rescued in English waters.
The survivors were rescued by an English ship, and some eventually reached France. Shortly after their departure, Hernando de Manrique de Rojas
Hernando de Manrique de Rojas
Hernando de Manrique de Rojas was the commander of Spanish forces sent in late 1562 to destroy the French fort at Port Royal. This fort had been abandoned after its leader Jean Ribault had returned to France to get supplies and been delayed by the outbreak of another phase of the French Wars of...
commanded a Spanish force from Cuba that went and destroyed the French fort, and took captive the one Frenchman who had remained with the local Native Americans in the region of the fort.
Santa Elena (1566-1587)
Founded in 1566 on the site of Charlesfort, Santa Elena was the first capital of Spanish Florida until 1587.The Charlesfort-Santa Elena site is nationally significant because it illustrates the competition for the New World. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2001.
The SC DAH summary is here.
External links
- Charles Forte (Beaufort County), at South Carolina Department of Archives and History