A Shared Paradise
How the Dutch and French split Saint Martin
Saint Martin is a small island with a remarkable story. Despite its modest size of just 34 square miles, it is unique in being governed by two nations: the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France. Today, Sint Maarten is more than just a tropical paradise; it’s a place where European empires clashed, treaties were forged, and a rich, shared culture emerged. But how did this island come to be one of the world’s only territories peacefully shared by two nations?
Early Colonization and the St. Kitts Connection
In the early days of European colonisation, it wasn’t uncommon for islands in the Caribbean to be shared between rival powers. Saint Martin’s first European inhabitants came from St. Kitts, where English and French settlers had coexisted. St. Kitts was the first English colony in the Caribbean, and its struggling settlement welcomed a French pirate seeking refuge, leading to the establishment of a French colony.
The Spanish, alarmed by other European nations encroaching on territory they considered their own, launched a raid in 1629 to expel both the French and English from St. Kitts. Some of the displaced French settlers ended up on Saint Martin, establishing a small makeshift settlement. However, a Spanish fleet, following them from St. Kitts, raided the island, further reducing their numbers. Most left, but 14 Frenchmen managed to evade the Spanish and decided to make the island their home.
The Dutch Arrival: Salt and Strategy
In 1631, the Dutch arrived on Saint Martin, believing the island to be uninhabited. The Dutch Republic had defied the odds during the Eighty Years’ War against Spain, emerging as a maritime and economic power. By this point, they had established New Amsterdam in North America, seized Brazil from the Portuguese, and were seeking a waypoint in the Caribbean to support trade between these colonies.
Salt was a critical resource for the Dutch economy. Herring, once called “the gold mine of the Republic,” relied on salt for preservation. With war disrupting traditional salt supplies from Portugal, the Dutch had first turned to Venezuela’s salt pans in 1599. Although successful, the Spanish destroyed their operations at Araya in 1605. Saint Martin offered a perfect alternative: its salt pans were abundant, the location ideal, and there were no Spanish settlers.
The Dutch quickly established Fort Amsterdam and began mining salt, which proved to be of exceptional quality. They also encountered the small French community on the island, who, recognizing the success of the Dutch West India Company, began working for them. By 1633, the colony had grown to 97 inhabitants, though only two were women.
Spanish Retaliation: Salt, Tariffs, and an Overstretched Empire
The Spanish crown, determined to maintain control of the lucrative salt trade, sought to eliminate the Dutch operations on Saint Martin. Spain had plans to raise tariffs on salt within its empire, but this policy was undermined by Dutch exports of cheap salt from Saint Martin. In 1633, the Spanish launched an expedition with 53 ships, including 11 warships, to reclaim the island.
Landing 1,000 soldiers and 300 sailors, the Spanish besieged the Dutch at Fort Amsterdam. Despite holding out for a week, the Dutch were forced to surrender. Spain took control of the island, constructing a fort on the opposite side of the bay. However, the Spanish neglected Saint Martin, leaving only a few civil servants behind. The salt trade halted, and the island fell into disrepair—a reflection of Spain’s overstretched empire.
Stuyvesant’s Attempt and the Spanish Exit
In 1642, Peter Stuyvesant, governor of Curaçao, was instructed by the West India Company to retake Saint Martin. Leading a small force, he managed to reclaim Fort Amsterdam. Confident in his victory, Stuyvesant went to raise the Dutch flag himself, but a Spanish cannonball shattered his leg, cutting his celebration short.
Stuyvesant returned to Curaçao, leaving his men to continue the campaign. They attempted to shell the Spanish fort across the bay, then resorted to a siege to starve the Spanish defenders. Both efforts failed, and without leadership or prospects of success, the Dutch abandoned the island.
The Spanish governor, weary of defending the neglected territory, wrote to the king requesting a reward for his service to the crown. His request? To dismantle the settlement and evacuate the island. The Spanish crown refused at first, but in 1648, the Spanish finally withdrew. Labourers from Puerto Rico were brought in to dismantle their fortifications, but some Dutch and French workers stayed behind, sending word to their respective colonies that the island was free for the taking.
The Treaty of Concordia and a Shared Island
Both the Dutch and French rushed to reclaim Saint Martin. The island had taken on new importance: for the Dutch, it was no longer just about salt but also about establishing a regional trading post; for the French, it was part of their ambitions to expand their Caribbean presence, particularly as Guadeloupe became a key colony.
With no Dutch warships in the Caribbean, the Dutch allowed the French to land. The two sides met on Concordia Hill to negotiate the Treaty of Concordia, which formalized the division of the island. Free movement between the two sides was allowed, and the arrangement has persisted to this day.
Dutch Prosperity and French Struggles
The shared arrangement was not without tension. The demarcation line between the two territories shifted frequently, and by the 18th century, the Dutch side had far outpaced the French in prosperity. The Dutch side became a hub for trade, with a population boom fuelled by 400 colonists and 1,500 enslaved Africans working in salt mining and on plantations. Meanwhile, the French side had only 40 colonists and struggled with weak defences, leaving it vulnerable to pirate raids and English attacks.
In 1779, during the American Revolutionary War, the English occupied the French side for two months. This posed a problem for the Dutch, who were trading with American colonists, supplying goods that Britain had cut off. English forces seized American and Dutch ships, and when the Dutch governor protested, the English threatened to destroy Philipsburg.
The Dutch attempted several times to purchase the French side, frustrated by its instability. Even Prussia expressed interest in acquiring it, but the French consistently refused to sell, determined to maintain their foothold on the island.
Smuggling and the Path to Emancipation
Saint Martin’s divided governance made it a haven for smugglers. Islanders frequently avoided Dutch tariffs by transporting goods across the border. Efforts to curb smuggling were largely ineffective, and by 1939, tariffs between the two sides were abolished altogether.
The island’s freedom of movement played a key role during the abolition of slavery. When France abolished slavery in 1848, enslaved people on the Dutch side used the open border to their advantage. Faced with the threat of mass desertion to the French side, Dutch authorities were forced to emancipate their enslaved population 15 years before the rest of the Dutch Empire.
Conclusion
Today, the idea of unifying Saint Martin is rarely discussed, though a few voices still advocate for it. For most, however, the island is already unified in spirit. Each side brings its own distinct identity, yet the shared history and cultural exchange between Dutch, French, and African influences have created something truly unique. Saint Martin stands as a testament to resilience and collaboration, offering a blend of traditions that make it one of the most fascinating destinations in the Caribbean.
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