It has always struck me that, for an island which for much of its history has held such a strategically important position on the world trade map, there are precious few castles on Tenerife, save for those that plop out of buckets and have flags stuck in them until the tide comes and washes them away.

You would think that, having fought so hard to take Tenerife from its original inhabitants, the Spanish would have immediately set about shoring up their defences so that no-one else could come along and steal their prize. But it would seem that the blueprint for Tenerife political life was set right back at the end of the fifteenth century when the policy of ‘do nothing’ was first established.

After the discovery of the New World, Tenerife became the gateway to trade between Europe and the Americas bringing her untold wealth and the attentions of every English and French ship sailing the Atlantic under the ensign of a skull and crossbones.

Despite repeated attacks on her major ports throughout the sixteenth century, Tenerife remained incredibly and completely bereft of any form of defence and it wasn’t until the invaders came under threat of invasion themselves that the thoughts of Tenerife’s settlers turned to the issue of strengthening island defences.

In 1513, with nerves on edge over the Spanish war with France, a committee was convened in Santa Cruz to agree a defensive strategy. Suggestions for the construction of a fort were dismissed on the grounds that a military presence may disrupt the ‘socio-economic rhythm’ of trade. The committee disbanded having left the defence of the island to the watchtowers and smoke signals that lined the coast scrutinising for foreign sails anchored beyond shipping routes.
No-one apparently thought to point out that, without fire power, the ability to spot an invasion as it happened was tantamount to selling tickets to your own demise and was probably not the sharpest military strategy ever devised.

Money talks
Economics eventually dictated common sense when, at the end of the 16th century, war impoverished Spain woke up to the fact that her treasury was completely dependant on gold and silver imports which came via Tenerife. Finally, moves were made to shore up that income stream.

Work began on fortifying Tenerife’s lucrative ports, beginning in Santa Cruz with the construction of the Castillo de San Cristóbal in 1575.
Sited in the centre of the bay on what is now Plaza de España, the castle became the centrepiece (and for 60 years the only piece) of the city’s defences.
At the same time, Tenerife’s wealthiest port of Garachico constructed the Castillo de San Miguel and a few years later the moated Castillo San Felipe was constructed in the port of La Orotava, now Puerto de la Cruz.

In 1604 as wine exports grew, the port of Santa Cruz was expanded prompting the need for further defences beginning with the construction of Paso Alto which became the mainstay of the port’s protection against the attempted invasion by Admiral Blake in 1657.

In 1641 the outbreak of the Portuguese revolution sparked further fear of invasion and the Castillo de San Juan Bautista, or the Black Castle as it was known, was constructed.

The addition of the Torre de San Andrés in 1706 made Santa Cruz virtually impregnable and by the time Admiral Nelson attacked the port in 1757 it had the firepower of 84 canon and 7 mortars housed in three castles, two forts, a tower and 12 batteries. What Tenerife lacked in numbers of castles, it made up for in defiant spirit when the Santa Cruz defences held against that attack by Nelson and the proudest day of the island’s military history was born.

He came, he saw, albeit with one eye, but never conquered. Admiral Horacio Nelson suffered the loss of his right arm and 226 of his men but is still held in high esteem in Tenerife despite his intention to seize the island.
It was 25th July 1797, the British Navy was mighty and Tenerife was a strategic trading post so it should have been a pushover for Nelson’s three frigates and a cutter as they descended on Santa Cruz just after midnight. They didn’t reckon on the fighting spirit of the locals who had spotted the ships the day before. Nelson was stepping out of a landing boat when he was caught by musket fire which shattered his right arm just as the cutter was sunk by the Tigre canon. So much for invading.

The term stiff upper lip could have been invented for the pint-sized Admiral. His boat took him back to a surviving ship and although he was in excruciating pain he still talked a good fight.

“I have yet my legs left and one arm, tell the surgeon to make haste and get his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it is off the better.”

Back in Santa Cruz, Captain Troubridge marched into town with what was left of the landing force but realising they were beaten he threatened to burn the town down if his terms of surrender weren’t met. From that point it all became bizarrely civilised. The Spanish Governor, Juan Antonio Gutierrez, a great admirer of the reputation of the British Navy and in particularly Nelson, arranged for the British injured to be ferried back to their ships and sent some fine Canarian wine. Nelson now minus his arm sent the governer a barrel of beer and later wrote in his journal.

“It is right that we should notice the noble and generous conduct of Don Juan Antonio Gutierrez.”

The mutual respect didn’t end there. Up in the La Paz district of Santa Cruz you can still find Calle Horacio Nelson and down at the dockside, looking dirty and neglected these days, there is a monument to the two leaders. Los Amigos de la Tertulia had the glass case built in July 1998 containing sculpted heads of the two leaders and the scroll with the terms of surrender. The Tigre canon is now housed in the Military Museum just off Avenida de Anaga, just a salty breeze away from the Atlantic.

The anniversary of the Tenerife stand is commemorated each year to varying degrees. The last big march and re-enactment, shown in these photos, was in 2008. The redevelopment of the port road and the recession look to have scuppered any big events this year but if there are any late changes, TM will let you know. Maybe on 25th July I will raise a toast to the sea and these two men of honour that were united by a common indomitable spirit.

Nelson quotes from The Life Of Nelson by Robert Southey.

LATE NEWS – Santa Cruz council bails out Nelson celebrations
Honour will be satisfied, a late injection of 40,000 euros from Santa Cruz council has ensured a programme of events leading to the 25 July anniversary of Nelson’s defeat. That’s half of last years budget and 6 times cheaper than the big 2008 bash. Here are the main events.
Fri 23 July – from 6pm – Canarian forces march from Plaza Weyler to Plaza Candelaria.
Sat 24 July – Noon to 2pm Re-enactment of first troops landing at Castillo Negra (near Auditorium)
8pm – British surrender at Plaza Isla de Madera
9.45pm – Procession to Iglesia de la Concepcion
Sun 25 July – Noon – Formal surrender to Spanish governer at Plaza Candelaria .