Early in the Sixteenth Century, trade was established between Guatemala and Spain via what was then called the Golfo Dulce. Constant attacks by pirates in the Gulf of Mexico and incursions into Guatemala through the Rio Dulce made it necessary to defend the entrance to Lake Izabal where warehouses had been set up for goods entering from or leaving for Spain.

1595 The Governor informed King Philip II of Spain of the attacks suffered and it was decided to build a tower equipped with twelve artillery pieces and twelve soldiers. The tower was called the Sande Tower.

1604 After the first tower was destroyed it was rebuilt by Captain Don Pedro de Bustamante, from whom it took its name, the Bustamante Tower. It was around this time that the port at Santo Tomas de Castilla was founded.

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1640 The pirates intensified their attacks in this area. Some rather famous (or infamous) pirates were involved in the attacks on the Rio Dulce including: Diego the Mulatto, Lieutenant of "Pegleg" Anthony Shirly. Shirly was a pirate of aristocratic birth, called the Adventurous Gentleman, the Highwayman from Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Also involved were Carefull and William Jackson who had their base of operations on the islands of Guanaja and Roatan. William Parker, known as the plunderer of Santo Domingo and Puerto Bello also made attacks on the Rio Dulce.

1651 Judge Lara y Mogrovejo rebuilt the fort a second time, calling it San Felipe de Lara Castle in honor of the king and himself.

1655 Pirate attacks decreased and the fort became a prison and place of exile because of the harsh climate.

1660-1666 The De la Costa brothers were pirates established on the island of Tortuga. During this time, they renewed attacks on the Rio Dulce, pillaging the fort and once more causing it to be returned to its original defensive purpose.

1669 Martin de Andujar, a military engineer, was sent to carry out an inspection of the fort. In his report he stated that the fort was greatly damaged and not functional. It had only a 10 yard circular tower covered with straw and rotten wooden plates.

1672 Artillery General Francisco de Escobedo was ordered to improve the fort, enclose the entry with a portcullis and to raise the ramparts.

1679 A new attack took the castle lookouts by surprise and the pirates were able to seize the fort. They then proceeded to attack "Bodegas", today called Mariscos, where provisions and other material going to and from Spain were loaded and stored. Following this attack, Sergeant Major Diego Gomez de Ocampo was sent to make an inspection of the fort. He determined the nature of its tactical deficiencies and drew up a plan for the fort.

1683 The Dutch pirate Jan Zaques and the Corsair called Lorenzo terrorized the Rio Dulce and the Coast of Campeche constantly.

1684 Zaques took the fort at San Felipe de Lara, setting fire to it and stealing munitions and artillery pieces.

1685 Following the attack and destruction of the fort by Zaques, a meeting of captains was held to determine the feasibility of holding the fort. They finally agreed on its reconstruction because of its strategic location and because it was the sole defense of the route to the interior of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

1688 The fort was again rebuilt and its defensive capacity expanded with ramparts and 100 guard positions. This work was done by the military engineer Andres Ortiz de Urbina. The attacks stopped and peace returned to the region for a while.

1736 Three lookout points were established at Fronteras, Zapote and Tameja because of fighting along the coast and at sea.

1955 Restoration: Dr. Janos de Szecsi was asked to do the basic investigation of the ruins of the fort. He supervised the plans and works which were carried out by the architect Francisco Ferrus Roig. Roig and others did research at the General Archives of the Indies in Spain where he found old plans and documents relating to the castle. Excavations at the site uncovered foundations and remains of different eras. The cannons which can now be seen were found upriver from the fort. Reconstruction was completed in 1956.

After a detailed study, it could be seen that existing parts from different eras could be superimposed without losing the unity of the whole, increasing The Castillo's historical interest and stimulating the visitors' imagination. Thus the first fortification, Bustamante Tower, on which the bulwark of San Felipe was erected, could be preserved.

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Rio Dulce Geography
Bibliography

Copyright © 1998-2008 Phillip C. Landmeier