Havana in the 17th century

Timeline

1. 1651–1655Havana harbor · HavanaHavana harbor served as the fixed assembly point of the Spanish treasure fleet (Flota de Indias), annually receiving silver, dyes and other colonial products from New Spain (Mexico) and Peru, provisioning and forming up there before crossing the Atlantic back to Seville. The city thus accumulated great wealth, forming an urban upper society centered on merchants, bureaucrats and the church, with an estimated population of 4,000 to 7,000.
2. 1655–1657Havana · HavanaEngland's occupation of Jamaica in 1655 shocked the entire Spanish Caribbean. Havana's colonial authorities quickly took emergency measures, sheltering Spaniards fleeing from Jamaica and dispatching a relief fleet to Jamaica (the 1657 relief of Río Nuevo). As Spain's core stronghold in the Greater Antilles, Havana's position became ever more irreplaceable with the loss of Jamaica, serving as the main bulwark against further English expansion.
3. 1657–1660Havana, Morro Castle · HavanaFacing the threat of English expansion in the Caribbean, the Spanish colonial authorities continuously invested resources to strengthen Havana's defense system. The Morro Castle (Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro) and the Royal Castle (Castillo de la Real Fuerza) underwent multiple rounds of reinforcement, and the firepower of the batteries controlling the harbor entrance was increased. Meanwhile, the city's cathedral, colonial administrative buildings and road infrastructure were continuously built during this period, the city steadily expanded, becoming one of the most important administrative and military centers in northern Spanish America.