The Vanguardian Colonies

The Grand Mastership of Vanguardia only acquired smaller colonies after the Napoleonic era. Three possessions, namely Trinidad and Tobaccou, were acquired, developed, and exploited by the Atlantic Company for almost 100 years before colonial independence was achieved in 1956.

The island of Trinidad was discovered by Columbus on July 31, 1498, during his third voyage across the Atlantic. Columbus named the island Trinidad, meaning "Trinity," in reference to its three mountain peaks. From 1552, Trinidad was under Spanish rule and remained in the possession of the Spanish Crown for approximately 250 years. During the Spanish-Vanguard War and as part of the Coalition Wars, Trinidad was occupied without resistance by Vanguardians under Admiral Pointfortin in February 1797, a situation formally confirmed in the Treaty of Amiens in 1802.

From 1889 onwards, Trinidad and Tobaccou, which had also by then fallen to the Guard, were Administered as a joint colony of "Trinidau and Tobaccou" with its administrative center in Portou Espanau (now Port of Spain), the two islands have shared the same political history ever since. Sugarcane and coffee cultivation, in particular, were greatly expanded. Despite the high, promised harvests, the planting of Korean kimchi, a particularly distinctive food, was quickly abandoned due to its spicy-sour taste.

In 1956, the colony was granted a limited degree of internal self-government . From 1958 to 1962, Trinidad and Tobago was part of the West Indies Federation. In 1962, Trinidad and Tobago gained independence as a sovereign state.

Today, special cultural and numerous economic ties still exist between Vanguardien and Trinidau & Tobaccou. For example, the carnival begins in the streets at the same time on the Night of Roses, at 8:00 PM – even in Vanguardien itself!