Spanish Main
The Spanish Main was the mainland coast of the
Spanish Empire around theCaribbean . The mainland of which was initially called "Spanish America" (thus, "Spanish Main"), it includedFlorida ,Mexico ,Central America and the north coast ofSouth America . In time it became a general term for the seaways around the Spanish possessions in the Caribbean.From the 16th to the 18th century the Spanish Main was the point of departure for enormous wealth in the form of
gold ,silver , gems,spice s,hardwood s,hides and other riches.Major loading ports were Cartagena de Indias in New Granada, Porto Bello on the
Isthmus of Darien and Veracruz inNew Spain (with wares brought by the "Manila Galleons" transported overland from Acapulco), and from there they were shipped to Spain by the famousSpanish treasure fleet s. This made the Spanish Main a haunt ofpirate s andprivateer s, and gave the name a notorious and romantic allure.ee also
*
Spanish colonies
*Spanish treasure fleet
*Piracy in the Caribbean
* Privateering on the Spanish MainExternal links
* [http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/pirates/spmain.html Notorious Places: The Spanish Main]
* [http://www.melfisher.org/reefswrecks/spanish.htm Mel Fisher Maritime Museum: The Spanish Main]
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Spanish main — Spanish Span ish, a. Of or pertaining to Spain or the Spaniards. [1913 Webster] {Spanish bayonet} (Bot.), a liliaceous plant ({Yucca alorifolia}) with rigid spine tipped leaves. The name is also applied to other similar plants of the Southwestern … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Spanish Main — the Spanish Main the area around the coast of northern South America, from which Spanish ships carried gold and ↑treasure back to Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. Many of these ships were attacked by ↑pirates, and there are many stories… … Dictionary of contemporary English
Spanish Main — Historical 1. the coastal region of the Americas along the Caribbean Sea; esp., the N coast of South America between the Isthmus of Panama & the mouth of the Orinoco: an earlier usage 2. later, the Caribbean Sea itself, or that part of it… … English World dictionary
Spanish Main — Spanish speaking Latin America and northern South America bordering the Caribbean from Mexico to Venezuela, including Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia … Eponyms, nicknames, and geographical games
Spanish Main — Span′ish Main′ n. 1) geg the mainland of America adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, esp. the area between the mouth of the Orinoco River and the Isthmus of Panama 2) geg the Caribbean Sea: the route of the Spanish treasure galleons and a former haunt … From formal English to slang
Spanish Main — 1. (formerly) the mainland of America adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, esp. the area between the mouth of the Orinoco River and the Isthmus of Panama. 2. the Caribbean Sea: the route of the Spanish treasure galleons and a former haunt of pirates. * … Universalium
Spanish Main — /spænɪʃ ˈmeɪn/ (say spanish mayn) noun 1. (formerly) the mainland of America adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, especially between the mouth of the river Orinoco and the Isthmus of Panama. 2. the Caribbean Sea, the route of the Spanish treasure… … Australian English dictionary
Spanish Main — geographical name 1. the mainland of Spanish America especially along N coast of South America 2. the Caribbean Sea & adjacent waters especially at the time when region was infested with pirates … New Collegiate Dictionary
Spanish Main — 1. (formerly) the mainland of America adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, esp. the area between the mouth of the Orinoco River and the Isthmus of Panama. 2. the Caribbean Sea: the route of the Spanish treasure galleons and a former haunt of pirates … Useful english dictionary
Spanish Main — noun The mainland coast of … Wiktionary
