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History Tenerife Santa Cruz capital in a nutshell.History Tenerife Santa Cruz is the history of the capital of the biggest of all Canary Islands which is also relevant to the whole island's history as well as of that of motherland Spain.
It all started with the erection of the Holy Cristian Cross by Santa Cruz shores by the commander and conqueror of Tenerife A.H. de Lugo in 1495. The cross was custom in those days of discoveries. At that time, the region was still called Añazo which was one of the chiefdoms of the Guanches. The Guanches and former inhabitants of the island were neolithic peoples of Tenerife which was called Tinerfe (white mount) by their cousins on Island Gomera.. They were nowhere to be seen when De Lugo set foot first time onto their soil giving the impression of being cowards as a result of it. History Tenerife and the Adelantado de Lugo:The commander of the Spanish military for the Canary Islands Alonso Hernández de Lugo was also called the 'Adelantado' which derives from the Spanish word adelante. It has many meanings. Standing in front could be one. Pushing the conquest forward or being one step ahead in this context is another.Perhaps, it also means that he borrowed money because, much of the conquest was financed by himself which he wanted to recuperate by selling off enough of the island's natives as slaves. The first battle against them was lost to the Spanish commander's dismay, however. Only, when he came back, a year later, with full horse power after collecting new funds, could he succeed. Also, the lack of immunity against sort of a flue which was introduced by the army and caused havoc in the small Guanche population helped with the conquest. More on details about the conquest by Wikipedia...
History Tenerife on the capital tells us that La Laguna was De Lugo's first choice for capital. Reason being was that it was close to the sea shores by a bay which was ideal for a port. Also, La Laguna had beautiful landscapes around its lagoon (la laguna) in Aguere Valley. The lake has long since dried up.
The threat of pirates:The first capital building erected very soon must have been the Santa Cruz fortress which is still to be seen at Parque Maritimo César Manrique(Maritim Park César Manrique). It, of course, also served well to fend off pirates whose main goal was capturing slaves. They used to lurk around not far from the town sea side shores.
The position of the harbor near la Laguna was much envied by Great Britain as well as by the Dutch which were both sea faring nations. Santa Cruz port which later became a Free Port has always been one of Europe's best. Also, it offered good bunking facilities for ocean routes to the much searched for El Dorado for gold, spices, slaves and other commodities, much wanted at the time.
In the meantime, the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama had set their eyes rather to the east in India, by the year 1498. Also, Portugal's right to Tenerife during the reign of King Alfonso of Portugal and Queen Isabela of Castilla Spain which joint two countries by marriage (a very important fact to understand the history around the time of De Lugo) had been taken back by the pope who instead granted them the acquisition of the African Fez as well as Guinea. Portugal could get fresh water and new provisions and above all salt from Isla do Sal (Island of Salt) from its Baltic Islands like Guinea Bissao which is off West Africa further down south from the Canary Islands. Hence, the Portuguese were no threat for Tenerife. Please, note in the context of the discoveries of new sea routes at the time that those had only become possible in such extent after the invention of a new sailing method with 2 sails. Now, it was finally possible to sail against the wind which became necessary from Guinea Bissao onwards for proceeding to the South. (This was very much emphasized by a history professor at Faculdad de Letras (university) in Lisbon in 1963 whose name I, unfortunately, forgot.) By the way, only, Portuguese traders which were favored by Adelante de Lugo could prosper in Tenerife as reported by Santiago del Teide history Tenerife as well as by relevant surviving documents in Los Realejos archives.
1656 was the defeat of Admiral Blake who lost one ship off Santa Cruz de Tenerife as recorded by history Tenerife Santa Cruz. In 1723 Santa Cruz took over as capital from San Christóbal de La Laguna ( for short:La Laguna). It became capital of all Canary Islands by Royal degree of King Ferdinand VII of Spain in 1821. Admiral Nelson is defeated: 1797 History in Tenerife is made by the defeat and consequential humiliation of the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson where he lost his right arm when trying to get onto shore. A sculpture on Plaza de los Patos which is a part of Plaza 25 de Julio is commemorating this loss of a sea battle by Britain near Tenerife capital's shores. The Chicarreros or Santacruceros as the capital's inhabitants are called always defended their island Tenerife by all means. Those who couldn't use canons and guns threw stones at invaders. Here, we must not forgot that Santa Cruz was only a fishing village until it took over capital rights from La Laguna. Early, in the 20th century many of Santa Cruz inhabitants thought greener pastures in Cuba and similar South American islands with which they had historical ties. The emigration was caused by economic hardship resulting from ocean trade blockades already in world war 1 and later world War 2. Besides, the capital had also lost its wine Exports to England as Portuguese port wine was suddenly in high demand, there. After General Franco's established power in the early Fifties many fled again but, this time to Venezuela, Germany and France which had started an economic and/or building boom. It's rather peculiar when you meet so many of them who for example have learned the German language with a typical dialect which shows where exactly they were emigrant workers. One would think that a remote tiny island would have been safe from the turmoil of those big wars and from mainland politics but, shipping was the capital's 2nd biggest bread winner which had then fallen away. Also, the Canary island enjoyed much less autonomy than wishing for. General Franco and Tenerife are playing a big historic role. The biggest of all Canary islands and the capital were where Franco plotted his military take over of Spain. Tenerife which had much liberal outlook at the time was severely prosecuted by the later dictator Franco who was a great fan of Hitler and his 'black National Socialist' ideology. Many Tinerfeños cannot forgive the grief and bloodshed caused to them by the stern military man Franco. Later, he moved over to Marocco from where he concluded a successful putch with German planes against the Spanish regime to take over political power of all Spanish territories where Tenerife had preceded. This and the ongoing economic depression were also reason for the fleeing from the capital and other towns of the island. The historical number is of 16000 Tinerfeños. A third of them perished on the way to America. Boats were just as overloaded as the ones that would hit all Canary islands with economic fugitives later from the end of the 20th centuries onwards coming from the neighboring continent with African people. What is remarkable is that it was General Franco who created the foundation for the tourist boom for Tenerife which was to come. General Franco had great insight in many respect.
The early tourism, by the way, at the end of the XVIX century was also indirectly to the capital's benefit. Tourists in those days could only reach the island with passenger ships. Taoro Park became the high light for Europe's Upper 10 000 shown by the very historical Taoro Hotel. Puerto de la Cruz had its cut as well as Los Gigantes. Great men like Alexander von Humboldt left their influence at La Laguna university. History Tenerife by the end of the 20th century/beginning of 21 century:Booming tourism with visitors from fancy ocean cruisers to Santa Cruz as well as by general holiday seekers from all over Europe coming with frequent cheap plane tours resulted in good employment for Tinerfeños also caused by a consequential boom in construction for the holiday home and other buildings for attractions and entertainment changed the face of the capital as well. New sea side resorts sprung up from 1990 onwards from Los Gigantes downwards to almost rigt down to the bottom of the West Coast Tenerife. Cuesta Adeje, Los Christianos and Playa (beach) de las Americas have almost become household names in the UK. Tenerife and the European Union:Furthermore, subsidies from prospering mainland Spain and financial support from Bruxelles since the adding of Spain into the European Union brought more income and happiness to the island. Much immigration came from Europe where the amount of people from eastern countries seeking employment in the sun is remarkable. The tragedy is however that the ecologically vulnerable island has neither the space nor facilities to incorporate that many new- comers.
Today in 2008 La Laguna, Tegueste, Candelaria and El Rosario have all grown into each other and form a municipal unity with the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Santa Cruz has become a Tenerife city . Many shopping centers and industrial areas have filled up the spaces, once in between. Is Tenerife a left over from the fabulous island Atlantis?No geological evidence on the ocean floor around the island has been found yet which proves Tenerife having been part of Atlantis. History Puerto de la Cruz plays the 2nd most important part on Tenerife Island after the desctruction of Garachico port. Here, is a legend connected to history in relation to the volcanic destruction of the port of Garachico. History Los Gigantes which is remarkable due to British tourism which gave the once sleepy fishing town a totally new face and importance.
Monasterio and its historical business and sites which breath history and which has an intriguing past revealing how Tenerife busines was done by a monk, long time ago. Please, go back from history Tenerife Santa Cruz to the capital Santa Cruz Tenerife.
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