• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result

From The Maya To Pirates: Northern Belize Through History

The Untold History Of Northern Belize

Con Murphy by Con Murphy
Mar 25, 2020
in In Focus: Belize
0
From The Maya To Pirates: Northern Belize Through History

Image Source: iStock/SimonDannhauer

229
SHARES
3.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Once the center of the ancient Mayan Empire, which extended north to Chiapas in Mexico and south to northwestern Honduras, Belize has a long and rich history…

It was home to some of the oldest Maya civilizations, with cities like Cahel Pech in Cayo dating to 1,200 BC. Astronomy, mathematics, a complex bureaucracy, and advanced agriculture systems allowed an empire that rivaled the size of the Roman empire to flourish here.

The Maya kingdoms operated under a feudal caste system with their priests worshipped as gods. The ancient city of Cerros in northern Belize was an important pre-classical trading center for the entire Mayan Empire.

The long-abandoned city of Caracol in the Cayo region had a population of over 100,000 people—larger than any city in modern Belize today. Ruins, temples, and a preponderance of archaeological sites trumpet the former glory of the once mighty empire. Now it exists only in ruins, myth, and legend.

Starting around the year 1000 AD, a series of droughts and wars destabilized the Mayan empire, which weakened the kingdoms enough to be susceptible to conquest by much smaller armies.

In 1540, the conquistador Hernán Cortés crossed northern Belize with 140 soldiers on his way to subjugate the remnants of the Mayan Empire. They conquered the region, aided by the diseases they brought with them, which wiped out the native populations.

In 1544, the settlement of Bacalar administered what was to become modern-day Belize.

Pirates Of The Caribbean

From the late 16th to late 17th century, Belize was rife with privateers (English Crown-sanctioned pirates) and buccaneers (unlicensed pirates) because of the lure of Spanish treasure ships.

These pirates used the shallow drafts, mangrove thickets, 400 islands, and coral reef to elude the Spanish ships that were hunting them. From the mid-17th century onward, they extracted logwood from the swampy regions of Belize as an alternative to the dangerous task of piracy, as the dyes extractable from the logwood were highly valued.

In 1798 the Battle of Saint Georges Caye took place, in which a handful of soldiers and baymen reputedly drove off the Spanish fleet in what is now the most celebrated battle of independence of Belize. (The actual intensity of the battle is debated—scholars claim the Spanish left of their own accord, but Belizeans prefer the more dramatic version of the story.)

The Mayan Caste War

In 1847, hostilities in Yucatán began when the Spanish Crown executed three Mayan leaders for plotting rebellions for the genocide being perpetrated against them by the Europeans.

mural in belize
Mural of the history of northern Belize at Corozal Town Hall

The Mayan armies almost had the Europeans defeated when the rains came, and they left the battle to plant crops. In 1849, the town of Corozal was founded by refugees fleeing the massacre at Bacalar.

Corozal gets its name from the Cahone Palms common here, which were valued by the Maya for the high-quality cooking oil, meat, and palm fronds they produce.

By 1850, the Mayan armies were on the brink of defeat, and they had retreated into jungle communities for protection… In 1858 the Mayans were massacred at Bacalar and the fort at San Felipe was captured.

In 1872, the revered Maya leader Marcus Canul led a desperate last attack on the British Fort in Orange Walk. This last drive for independence failed, and the Maya disbanded, with some seeking refuge in the jungles in what is now Progresso, Orange Walk, Sarteneja, and Caye Caulker.

In 1964 Belize became self-governing and in 1973, it officially changed its name from British Honduras to Belize. Independence was gained in 1981, and the country was recognized as a sovereign nation by Guatemala in 1991.

Con Murphy

Comments

Share92Tweet57
Previous Post

Podcast from Paris #1: Lockdown in Paris

Next Post

Why I’m Glad That I Hold The World’s Most Valuable Asset

Con Murphy

Con Murphy

Con was born in Limerick, Ireland in 1981. After Studying Business and Legal Studies at the University College Dublin he worked as a real estate researcher in the U.K and South Africa. In 2006 Con decided to make the move to Belize. During his time in Belize, Con has worked as an owner’s representative in the redevelopment of an award winning Boutique Resort and Spa in the Cayo district, a founding member of a Real Estate Development Company and a founding Director of a Start-up Oil and Gas Exploration company.

Related Posts

Small sprout for landing in the ground in hands.
Belize

Enjoying The Benefits Of Gardening In Belize’s Cayo District

by Tony Lauria
March 24, 2021
0

Carmelita Gardens is an off-grid community in Belize's Cayo District spread out over 98 acres. This quiet, naturally stunning area attracts...

Read more
Tiffany Daffodil lamp.

What You Must Know Before You Ship Anything To Belize

March 10, 2021
A car in a Belize street

Buying Your Vehicle in Belize vs. Shipping Your Car To Belize

February 24, 2021
Belize beach.

The Benefits And Challenges Of Living In Belize

February 19, 2021
Beautiful Caribbean sight with turquoise water in San Pedro island, Belize.

What The Future In Belize Looks Like: The Booming Real Estate Market

February 18, 2021
Kayaks at Corozal Bay seashore, Corozal District, Belize.

Should You Choose Corozal Or Cayo For Your New Belize Adventure?

February 10, 2021
Secret Beach sits on the clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea on Belize's Ambergris Caye

Why There’s Much More To Belize Than Meets The Eye

February 5, 2021
Next Post
growing tomatoes indoors

Why I’m Glad That I Hold The World’s Most Valuable Asset

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

how to retire overseas

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2021

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

WANT TO RETIRE OVERSEAS?

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately send you a free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE in style overseas. Each day you’ll learn about the best opportunities for international living, retiring overseas, offshore diversification and asset protection, and investing in real estate around the world.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.