Alcazara

Archipelago of Alcazara
Archipiélago of Alcazara
Geography
Location	Pecario
Adjacent bodies of water	Manamana Bay
Total islands	21
Area	18 km2 (6.9 sq mi)
Administration
	Permaca Department
Governor	Soraya Marqués
Demographics
Population	2,588 (2021)
Pop. density	170 /km2 (440 /sq mi)
Languages	Iberic

Alcazara, officially the Archipelago of Alcazara (Iberic : Archipiélago of Alcazara) is an archipelago in the Manamana Bay, part of the Permaca Department, Pecario. It consists of 21 islands and islets but only the main island is inhabited. Sixty percent of the islands' area was established in 1985 as a national marine park.

History

Discovery

Based on the written record, Alacazara island was discovered on 2 March, 1630, by Diego de Montega's Fleet expedition. The island was first mapped by Admiral Hector Alcazar. It is likely that the name of the archipelago is a reference to him. The island remained relatively uninhabited by Iberic settlers until 1640, when the first settlements began to be built by Tacolic monks. However, the place was abandoned around 1645, with the causes remaining unknown. The most accepted theory is that it was caused by environmental factors such as hurricanes that forced the colony to be abandoned.

Golden Age of Piracy

Alcazara island

Alcazara became a popular base for pirates, between the 17th and 18th centuries. Beginning with François Charleroy in 1691 and ending with Diego Ruiz in 1721. The first pirates were likely former Lysian soldiers who took refuge on the island after the Emerald War. The location was favourable for pirate activity, being near maritime routes travelled by ships travelling between the Tpyhon Sea and the Lotus Sea, their holds overflowing with loot. The location also provided bays and inlets for protection from storms, abundant fruit and quiet waters. A semblance of a Pirate republic was created there and seemed to embody ideals of equality, freedom, and fraternity. In the 18th century, it is said that over a thousand privateers resided there. The enthusiasm for this haven was such that Europan nations began to concern themselves with the impact and the commercial and geopolitical role of this area that they did not control, offering amnesty to pirates who would repent and return home. Many pirate cemeteries can still be found on the island. The wrecks of their ships lie off Puerto Negro, the only town in the Alcazara archipelago.

1800-present

In the late 18th century, the island was used as a penal colony. A prison was built. In 1887 the government of the state of Permaca took possession of the prison. Between 1938 and 1985, Alcazara was a political prison.

Geography

The islands of this archipelago are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains. It consists of 21 islands, islets and rocks of volcanic origin. The main island, from which the group gets its name, makes up 91% of the total area; the islands of Garata, Isla Penã, Caravalla and San Fernando.

Fauna

The archipelago is an important site for breeding seabirds. The life above and below sea is the main attraction of the island. Sea turtles, sharks, cetaceans, albatrosses, and many other species are frequently observed.