The 1973 25 Gourde Haiti Silver Commemorative Coin of Christopher Columbus

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” Blackbirds tend to like shiny objects” ~ The Bloody Raven

In his first journey, following the discovery of San Salvador (Bahamas) and Cuba, on December 5th, 1942 Columbus then discovers the Island of Hispaniola, or present day named Haiti on the Western third of the Island and the Eastern part as the Dominican Republic. Due to an accidental shipwrecking of the Santa Maria he had no other option other than to establish a Post, La Navidad among the indigenous Taino tribe before returning to Spain with the Nina and the Pinta, leaving 39 men and a promise to return.

WHispaniola 1639 by Johannes Vingboons under Public Domain

What’s a Gourde?

The word "gourde" is a French cognate for the Spanish term "gordo", from the "pesos gordos" (also known in English as "hard" pieces of eight, and in French as "piastres fortes espagnoles") in which colonial-era contracts within the Spanish sphere of influence were often denominated. Wiki

1973 Haiti 25 Gourdes 25 HTG 1ReverseThe Republic of HaitiChristopher ColumbusSilver (.925) Sterling, 10g Mintage 5,470 proof Heaton Mint BirminghamCatalog Reference KM# 102

1ObverseLiberte Egalite FraterniteThe Motto of France and the Republic of Haiti"liberty, equality, fraternity"And those are not my finger prints!

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Juan and Christopher: The Second Voyage

November 27th, 1493

The sky was clear. The sea was calm.

Something felt wrong as the longboats glided over the churning surf plowing into the familiar white sands of Hispaniola. Before the Ship hands could steady the boat, Juan had already leaped into the surf and hurried out the water up onto the beach. He cups his hands over his mouth and shouts, "Diego! Pedro! Rodrigo! Men of the Gallega! It is me Juan, we are back!"

A few silent moments pass with only the soft sounds of the surf and the ocean breeze rustling the trees in reply. With his fine sense of direction Juan steps up to the tree line and observes the crucifix he tied to a prominent palm before he returned to Spain that day. It marked the path to the Puerto de La Navidad, the improvised settlement that was fashioned from the remains of his former ship.

Columbus shouted from the longboat, "Juan, wait for the rest the landing party! Mamma Mia! That ass can't wait."

Upon stepping out of the surf Padre Ramón makes a motion of the cross before he fell to his knees in the dry sand. He utters something in Latin, a prayer of gratitude before getting back upon his feet.

Columbus gazed over the padre's shoulder observing the numerous longboats now being dispatched by the settlers, from their vantage point all appeared safe, all souls anxious to escape the confines of the ships and begin to build the colony of Hispaniola.

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Juan scanned the tree line. There was no one to welcome their arrival. The men of the Santa Maria should have easily spotted the sails even without having to fire a round from a musket.

Also conspicuous was the absence of the Taino and Juan thought of a possible Carib Indian attack that may have occurred in their absence and the men of the Santa Maria as well as the Taino Arawak may have fled the area. The familiar path led to the Fort’s broken front gate.

Juan took a backward glance. Capitan Suarez mustering his soldiers into a skirmish line. The soldier’s polished armor shined in the sun. With muskets loaded and primed, swords at the ready, the formidable force slowly moved forward through the empty Taino dwellings. What chance would Indians have against veteran troops with superior weapons.

Juan could see it happening. It'd be a massacre if it were the Taino, the Carib or both. Already he could sense the anxiety of the Governor and Admiral as they follow close behind the line with their own weapons drawn. They seem to have already made up their minds who was at fault and make this an ideal pretext to justify their following decisions. Columbus, Admiral Dominic or both could make an order to totally subjugate the Indians despite Isabella's order of not enslaving who were already deemed as new subjects of the Spanish realm.

Meanwhile, Fort La Navidad was in a terrible state, most parts of the fort have burned down and smashed now deftly quiet as testament of the violent acts that have happened in their absence. The Soldiers walk past Juan and make their way securing the area.

“Next time stay with landing party Asshole!” Columbus stepping next to Juan, "What happened?"

“I don’t know. I hope there are survivors." Replied Juan.

Columbus made a motion of the cross before he could take another stepping into the fort. He was thinking. He was already under heavy criticism from many of the colonist’s leaders for the lack of material progress nor having yet met anyone from Asia. How greed drives men to do unthinkable things.

The Governor suddenly slipped past the soldiers and headed straight for the remains of the auxiliary house. He lifted the boards to the dugout cellar. The thirty-nine men of La Navidad were instructed to store what gold they could find in that cellar. Columbus came back out empty handed and shaking his head. There was no gold.

Juan stepped towards the bunk house. He couldn't help but feel a foreboding pit in his stomach as he pushed open the door.

And now for my Banknote friends

2010-2014 Haiti 10 Gourdes Banknote1FrontCoat of Arms, 10, Heroine Sanite Belair, Slave Revolt, OSD, 10 GourdesOptical Security Device (OSD) Contains words DIX 10 as one of this note’s security feature. P-272d, Printed by Thomas De la Rue Company Ltd Signatures: Castel, Lahens, and Ignace.

Who is Sanité Bélair?

Sanité Bélair is a celebrated heroine of the Haitian slave revolt. Born in 1781 as the French say at the time, “L’Artibonite” Or ‘Afranchi’ a free person of color who are typically a person born of mixed race. Haiti at the time was French territory and benefited from the oppressive slave driven economy of Haiti. Even though Sanité had some social privileges as “L’Artibonite” she wanted to help Haiti claim independence as she and her husband General Charles Bélair were responsible for the uprising of the enslaved L’Artibonite class against their French en-slavers.

Sanité became a Sargent, and then Lieutenant under the leader of the Revolution Toussaint Louverture. Toussaint is featured on the 2016 Haiti 100 Gourdes note.

Both she and her husband Charles were captured and were sentenced to death for insurrection on October 5th 1802. A crowd was assembled to witness the executions, First Charles was shot by firing squad. Sanité refused to be executed by Decapitation according to law and demanded to be executed in the same manner as her husband. After refusing her blindfold she shouted to the people, “Viv Libète anba esklavaj!” “Liberty, no to slavery!”

The execution did not deter the spirit of revolution, the fight continued until the French could no longer maintain control under staggering losses. Haiti earned it’s independence in 1804. History’s only successful slave revolt that led to a new nation other than the Jewish nation becoming independent from the Egyptians millenniums earlier.

With France already heavily committed into the Napoleonic wars, the defeat of the 40,000 troop French expeditionary force with the loss of General Charles Leclerc, Napoleon’s vision of a French New World Empire slips from his grasp, so an unintended consequence of the Haitian revolution expedited the sale of Louisiana to the United States.

1Back10 Gourdes, Fort Cap Rouge (Jacmel), 10 Gourdes

I hope you enjoyed this coin feature, thank you for stopping by for a read.

References

1. My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W P. Image under PixabayR. Clip art from 123RF W. Wiki Commons
Sanité Bélair Tigress of Haiti The Tigris of Haiti Haitian Revolution Wiki2010 10 Gourdes

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“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”