America’s Sin of Genocide
When the Spanish conquistadors set
sail in 1565 for what is now known as America,
they were aware that upon their arrival there were two “nationalities” they
would have to overpower in order to establish and secure Spain’s foothold in Florida:
the Native American Indians and the French Huguenots. Yet, Spain’s approach to overpowering one
nationality differed greatly with their approach to overpowering the
other. The intent of the Spanish monarchy was only to
subdue the Native American Indians, never to exterminate them. On the other hand, it was their intent to completely
eliminate the French Huguenots who had established a French colony on American soil
that the Spanish claimed as their own.
The conquistadors needed the Native
American Indian for various reasons.
They had heard many rumors about vast amounts of gold and other precious
metals hidden in the Americas. They believed the natives, who were familiar
with the lay of the land, would lead them to these locations. Moreover, the conquistadors needed additional
slave labor to add to the African slaves they brought with them.
They also needed to fulfill their “religious
obligations” to convert the Native American Indians to Christianity – at least
according to their secular definition of Christianity, which was unbiblical. It was while in bondage to the Spanish that the
Native American Indians were forced to build the Spanish missions where the
Priests would teach them about Roman Catholicism, which misrepresented Christ
Jesus. Thus, the two came together. Sadly, the slaves were required to build the
missions where they would be taught about the love of Jesus Christ – a love neither
the conquistadors nor the priests understood or extended to the Native American
Indians!
On the other hand, the
intent of the Spanish monarchy was the “genocide” (extermination) of the French
Huguenots. The French Huguenots
were Protestants who dared to establish a French colony on soil the Spanish
crown claimed as their own. The orders
given to the Spanish conquistadors were to completely wipe out all French
Huguenots – they were not to leave a trace of them or their Protestant Bibles on
Florida
soil.
The Sin of America’s
Spanish Forefathers
We know from Genesis 15:13-16
that the sins of a nation become “full” in the fourth
generation or approximately four hundred years, and it is at that time that the
LORD will judge that nation if those sins
have not been confessed on a national level.
While the sins of our English forefathers were acknowledged in 2007 on
an international, national and state level, the sins of the Spanish, who were
the first to bring slavery to America and to inflict injustices on the Native
American Indians at least fifty five years before the settlement at Jamestown, have never been
publicly acknowledged. As a result,
illegal immigration and all the problems associated with it are only some of the
consequences of these unconfessed sins.
In 2007, in celebration of the 400th
anniversary of Jamestown,
the sins of our English forefathers were confessed for the first time at all
levels of government. At the
international level – Queen Elizabeth; at the national level – President Bush;
and at the state level – the lawmakers of Virginia and other states all
publicly acknowledged the injustices that the Native American Indians and
African Americans endured at the hands of America’s English forefathers. (See
article on Jamestown
for details).
In addition to the same sins
committed by our English forefathers, America’s Spanish forefathers
committed the sin of genocide. Genocide
is the deliberate and systematic intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
religious, political or ethnic group.
The first international war fought in
North America was the battle fought between Spain and the French Huguenots in
1565. When Spain
brought their religious wars to America
in 1565, the King of Spain instructed the conquistadors to kill all
the French Huguenots – simply because they were “Protestants”. The leader of the Spanish conquistadors in
Florida, Pedro Menendez, after murdering the French Huguenots at Fort Caroline,
hung some of their bodies on trees and over their heads, placed placards that
read: “Not unto Frenchmen – but unto Lutherans”
This was a clear acknowledgement
that they were not killed because they were French, but because they were
Lutherans (Protestants). At that time,
the Roman Catholic Church and those loyal to the pope considered all Protestant
denominations as heretics – enemies of the Church. As a consequence, these heretics became
objects of their wrath; if they did not recant, the mistaken attitude was that they
deserved to be put to death.
The following accounts support the
premise that Spain’s
objective to supplant the French Huguenots from Florida was not to just subdue the Huguenots,
but was an act of genocide. Spain’s attack
was deliberate and systematic with the intent to completely destroy a specific
religious group – Protestants.
·
“If the settlement at Port Royal had been a
disquieting intrusion, Fort Caroline, under the very nose of Havana
and on the path of the treasure fleets, was an imminent menace to New Spain. Its
import was plainly stated in the reports to Philip from Mexico. … In urging action before Coligny could send
Ribaut to relieve the colonists, the same report continued: ‘seeing that they are
Lutherans … it is not needful to leave a man alive, but to inflict an
exemplary punishment, that they may remember it forever.’” [1]
(emphasis added)
Note: Coligny and Ribaut were leaders of the French
Huguenots and Philip is King Philip of Spain.
·
“To expel and castigate the French and to plant
his own power solidly in Florida,
Philip had at last picked a man who would not fail. … Menendez’s contract was a typical
conquistador’s agreement. … Above all he was to see that none of his
colonists were Jews or secret heretics.
And he was to drive out the French settlers ‘by what means you see fit.’
… Menendez sailed from Cadiz
on July 29, 1565. … On the 28th of August he dropped anchor in a
harbor about the mouth of a river and gave to it the name of the saint on whose
festival he had discovered it – Saint
Augustine (San Agustin). Seven days later he went up the coast,
looking for the French. In the afternoon
he came upon four of Ribaut’s ships lying outside the bar at St. John’s River. Menendez, ignoring the French fire, which was
aimed too high to do any damage, led his vessels in among the foe’s. ‘Gentlemen, from where does this fleet come?’
he demanded, as we are told, ‘very courteously.’ ‘From France,’ came the answer from
Ribaut’s flagship. … ‘Are you Catholics or Lutherans?’ ‘Lutherans, and our general is Jean
Ribaut.’ In answer to like questions
from the French ship, Menendez made reply:
‘I am the General; my name is Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The is the armada of the King of Spain, who
has sent me to this coast and country to burn and hang
the Lutheran French who should be found there, and in the morning I will
board your ships; and if I find any Catholics they will be well treated.’”
[2]
(emphasis
added)
·
“Menendez, it is affirmed, hanged his prisoners
on trees, and placed over them the inscription, ‘I do
this, not as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans,’” [3]
(emphasis added)
Note:
o
This was the first of three attacks on the
French Huguenots. This attack took place
at Fort Caroline.
o
The few women and children that Menendez spared
was because he feared God would punish him otherwise. Nonetheless, in keeping with his original
objective, King Philip ordered that they too be killed either directly or
indirectly.
o
Jean Ribault, leader of the Huguenots, and other
French Huguenots were away from the Fort at this time. Menendez, intent on ridding Florida of all Huguenots, subsequently “systematically”
and “deliberately” tracked them down – killing all who escaped or sparing only those
women and children referenced above.
·
“After a brief rest at the post, which he
rechristened Fort San Mateo, Menendez marched swiftly back to St. Augustine. He learned presently that one hundred and
forty men from two French ships wrecked by the storm were nearby. … Menendez
made a quick march to the spot. When
the castaways pleaded that their lives be spared until the arrival of a French
ship to take them home, Menendez answered that he was
‘waging a war of fire and blood against all who came to settle these parts and
plant in them their evil Lutheran sect. … For this reason I would not grant them a
safe passage, but would sooner follow
them by sea and land until I had taken their lives’” [4] (emphasis added)
Note: This was the
second of three attacks.
·
“Shortly after Menendez had reached St. Augustine, Indians informed him that Jean Ribaut and
two hundred men were at Matanzas,
having been cut off there, as the other Frenchmen had been … Menendez set out
immediately. Once more were the same
ceremonies repeated; and Ribaut and his two hundred men were induced to
surrender. When with their hands bound,
… they were asked: ‘Are you Catholics or Lutherans
and are there any who wish to confess?’ Seventeen
Catholics were found and set aside. … ‘I put Jean Ribaut and all the
rest of them to the knife,’ Menendez wrote to Philip, ‘judging it to be
necessary to the service of the Lord Our God, and of Your Majesty.’” [5] (emphasis added)
Note:
o
Jean Ribaut was murdered in this third and final
attack.
o
The Catholics in the group were allowed to
live. Again, the Spanish wanted to rid
Florida of French Huguenots, not Catholics.
This is consistent with genocide.
·
“The fate of the captives may be gathered from
the endorsement, in the handwriting of the king, on one of the despatches [sic]
of Menendez. ‘Say to him,’ writes Philip
the Second, ‘that, as to those he has killed, he has done well; and to those he has
saved, they shall be sent to the galleys.’” [6]
(emphasis added)
Note: The “captives” are from the
group that had refused to surrender when Ribaut and the other French Huguenots
were murdered, but who have now surrendered approximately three weeks
later. Menendez felt they posed no
threat because they were few in number, only to be ordered to be put to death
by King Philip (the survivors being sent to the galleys meant sure death for
them). Again, this is consistent with
the definition of genocide.
Conclusion
For years some lawmakers on Capitol
Hill have insisted that the country of Turkey publicly acknowledge that
their forefathers committed an act of genocide against the Armenians during and
after World War I. While Turkey acknowledges
that many Armenians were killed – they deny that the intent was genocide. Furthermore, Turkey
has made it clear that if these accusations continue, the relations between the
United States and Turkey could be
negatively affected.
Instead of pointing the finger at Turkey, America
should step up and publicly acknowledge the genocide that occurred here in America. In light of the available documentation, it
is unmistakable that the objective of King Phillip of Spain was genocide, the extermination of all
French Huguenots in Florida. The sins of King Phillip of Spain who ordered
the genocide of the French Huguenots, the sins of the Spanish conquistadors who
carried out the genocide and the sins of the Roman Catholic Church who murdered
by consent when they approved of the massacre of the French Huguenots, should all
be brought to light. America should
publicly acknowledge these transgressions against the French Huguenots.
© Gwen Thomas, February, 2008
Bibliography
Bolton, Herbert E. The Spanish Borderlands: A Chronicle
of Old Florida
and the Southwest. New Haven: Yale University
Press, 1921
Parkman Jr., Francis. Pioneers of France in the New World.
Boston:
IndyPublish.com, written bt. 1864-1892, Publisher’s Advertisement 1907
Endnotes