The Spanish colonists...
After Christopher Columbus left Jamaica for the last time in 1504, it took six years before the first Spanish colonists arrived. In 1510 the first group got on the island, under direction of Columbus' son, Diego.
The first Spanish governor of Jamaica, Juan de Esquivel, also arrived in 1510.
Sevilla la Nueva
This group established the first settlement of the colonists in the area near Discovery Bay. However, the village was built not far from the marsh areas and pretty soon the Spanish found out Sevilla la Nueva (or 'New Seville') was an unhealthy place to live.
Unfortunately not much is saved from that (short) period. Some panels of stone and columns were found on the spot.
That explains why the colonists so soon moved to a new settlement more to the south, on the banks of the Rio Cobre. The called it Villa de la Vega, and today it is known as Spanish Town.
It was Diego Columbus again who made a draft for this town and made it to the capital of this Spanish colony till 1872.
It's location was perfect: close to the harbor, protected against attacks from the ocean and fertile grounds in the neighborhood. It made Villa de la Vega very popular to the new arriving colonists.
The first slaves
The Spanish let the Awarak Indians did the hard work. However, the Awarak's were not resistant against the European diseases and very soon there was no Awarak left. And so the first Jamaican habitants died out.
The Spanish started to import black slaves from Africa. Slavery was born...
The Spanish colonization of Jamaica was not really a big success. In the early days it helped in the conquest of Cuba and some others countries around. But when done, Jamaica soon became an unimportant piece of land with no serious government.
Means of existence were the supply of provisions to passing ships and the export of hides to Cuba, in exchange of wine, oil, clothing and flour.
The also were excellent in farming. From Spain they brought all major varieties of citrus fruit (however, grapefruit was already present) and from the Canary Islands the colonists introduced the banana in Jamaica.
Church played an important role in the life of the Spanish colonists. Street names like Red Church Street and White Church Street remind us that pastoral issues were part of daily activities. Both were Spanish chapels in the better days of the colony.
Forgotten
Officially the island was under control of the government in Spain. But the authorities in the mother country were not really sympathetic with the colonists in Jamaica. The island was for a great part self-governing, with the governor in charge, assisted by the cabildo, a council of nominated members.
The last years of the Spanish in Jamaica were depressing. Internal strife and the shortage of support from home weakened the colony. The local authorities and the church authorities were quarreling about unimportant issues.
Attacks by pirates, the French, the Dutch, the Italians and the English, who did saw the strategic value of the island, became more frequently. It had a demoralizing effect of the Spanish colonists.
Finally, on May 10, 1655 the game was over. The English sailed into Caguaya (Passage Fort) and took over Spanish Town. It was the end of the Spanish rule in Jamaica.
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the spanish 
