$ 10
From the Introduction
“Pirates, Prophets and Peacemakers” is the saga of how people impacted the birth, growth, and development of Florida.
Florida, land of flowers Ponce de Leon named it. He was searching for the Fountain of Youth but found, instead, that special place of health and prosperity that has lured kings and commoners ever since.
The French came in 1564 and built a sod and timber fort on the St. John’s River where they wanted to grow a few fig trees and plunder a few Spanish galleons. They built an arch on which they put the French King’s Coat of Arms. Those 300 French men ended up with their hands tied behind them and their throats slit.
The Spanish made it clear. “Florida belongs to us.” The King of Spain built an impregnable stone and coquina shell fort with walls 30 feet tall and 16 feet thick.
Every time the King of Spain thought about “his” Florida he must have smiled. He was ideally located to attack the British, to harass the French, hold off the Americans, and Christianize the Indians for two and a half centuries.
In 1863 England hoisted its flag over Florida. Next, several rogues passed by, each hoisting his flag and claiming Florida for himself. America’s president, James Monroe “got tired of it” and sent an expedition to clean up “ the flesh pots of Florida,” Those same American guns are on the St. Marks River aimed at Shrimp boats and vacation cottages across the St Johns River.
Of all the conquering expeditions, the final conquest goes to the tourists with their digital cameras and cell phones.