Havana experienced the first attack by French corsairs. The following year, another corsair occupied the villa for several days.

-March 20.- Upon becoming the General Captain of the Island of Cuba, Hernando de Soto, from the city of Santiago de Cuba, ordered building a fortress in Havana to protect it from attacks by pirates and corsairs.

Hernando de Soto. He was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who travelled to America and participated in an expedition that discovered Nicaragua’s coast in 1522. Hefoundedseveralcities in thatterritory. He was Governor of Cuba until May 12, 1539 and moved the island’s capital to Saint Cristopher of Havana.

Santiago de Cuba. The current city of Santiago de Cuba was one of the first villas founded in Cuba by the Spanish, in 1515. It is located in the southeastern part of the Cuban territory. Its symbol is a machete and its motto is: Rebel yesterday, hospitable today, always heroic. The city was awarded the honorary title of Hero City of the Republic of Cuba.