The French Buccaneers settle in What is now Haiti

The Spanish focused their energies in the New World on Mexico and Peru's treasure trove's after the Aztec and Inca Empire's collapse. The Caribbean Islands importance was to provide ports and protection for treasure fleets on the way back to Spain. However The Dutch, English and French started sending ships and adventurers to the area as privateers and pirates that would prey upon Spanish shipping hoping for a share of the loot. As the Spanish islands became neglected these groups would set up their own bases. The coast and islands in what is Haiti today provided good cover for the buccaneers. There was plenty of wild Spanish pigs and cattle to provide meat and hides. The mountains offered good cover from Santo Domingo on the Eastern part of the island were the Spanish settlers lived. A few times the Spanish governor would send soldiers to burn the settlements on Tortue Island in the North, but it wasn't long after they left that more would arrive. Eventually they grew stronger and they became more of a danger when they started roving down the Spanish coasts raiding and holding towns and cities for ransom. Every time a war would brake out in Europe it would serve as a excuse to allow more ships to harass the Spanish which was at that time one of the top world powers.The age of the 1600's was an age of piracy.