Palabras clave
planes militares
Yucatán
Centroamérica
rivalidades anglo-españolas.
Cómo citar
Resumen
Desde las últimas décadas del siglo XVI hasta el final del siglo XVIII algunos ingleses —comerciantes, navegantes, aventureros, académicos, cortesanos, militares, oficiales del gobierno y miembros del Parlamento— consideraron que las tierras continentales de Yucatán y Centroamérica tenían una ubicación estratégica para competir con España. Además, consideraban que estaban llenas de riquezas y habitadas por grupos indígenas con hostilidades entre ellos y España, y por lo tanto habitadas por posibles aliados de Inglaterra. Por esto, les parecía que sería posible y fácil ocupar la región y adquirir control de las minas, los recursos y hasta de las ciudades más prósperas de la América española. De esta manera, Inglaterra podría consolidar su imperio estableciendo una base para avanzar en su lucha contra España. En este artículo se discuten los argumentos y los planes militares formulados por ingleses con aspiraciones de dominar Yucatán y Centroamérica, así como sus intentos y esfuerzos para convencer a otros ingleses y al gobierno en Londres de brindarles su apoyo. En este documento también se analizan los obstáculos que enfrentaron y los resultados obtenidos, y se ponderan las circunstancias que permitieron que algunos planes se llevaran a cabo.
Abstract: From the last quarter of the 16th century to the end of the 18th century, some Englishmen (such as merchants, sailors, adventurers, scholars, courtiers, military men, government officers and members of parliament) regarded the mainland of Yucatan and Central America as strategically located to compete against Spain. They also considered it to be full of richness and inhabited by indigenous groups who were hostile towards Spain so they could be potential allies of England. Due to this, they considered it was possible, and not difficult, to occupy the region and to control the mines, the resources and wealthy cities of Spanish America. In this way, England could consolidate its empire by establishing a stronghold to advance on fight against Spain. In this paper the arguments and military strategies formulated by Englishmen who aspired to dominate Yucatan and Central America as well as their attempts to persuade some of their countrymen and the government of London to back them are analysed. This article also deals with the obstacles they faced, the outcomes achieved and the circumstances that allowed some of their plans to be implemented.
Keywords: English imperialism; military strategies; Yucatan; Central America; AngloSpanish rivalries.
Résumé : Du dernier quart du XVIe siècle à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, certains Anglais — marchands, marins, aventuriers, intellectuels, courtisans, militaires, fonctionnaires et députés — considéraient le Yucatan et l’Amérique centrale continentale stratégiquement situées pour rivaliser avec l’Espagne. Ils la considéraient également comme pleine de richesses et habitée par des groupes indigènes hostiles à l’Espagne qui pouvaient être des alliés potentiels de l’Angleterre. Par conséquent, ils ont déduit qu’il était possible, et pas difficile, d’occuper la région et de contrôler les mines, les ressources et les villes riches de l’Amérique espagnole. De cette façon, l’Angleterre pourrait consolider son empire en tablissant un bastion pour avancer contre l’Espagne. Cet article traite des arguments et des plans militaires formulés par les Anglais ayant des aspirations impériales au Yucatan et en Amérique centrale, ainsi que des tentatives qu’ils ont faites pour persuader leurs compatriotes et le gouvernement de Londres de les soutenir. Il analyse les obstacles auxquels ils ont été confrontés et les résultats obtenus, en réfléchissant aux circonstances qui ont permis la mise en œuvre de certains de leurs plans.
Mots-clés : impérialisme anglais ; Yucatan ; Amérique centrale ; rivalités angloespagnoles ; plans militaires.
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