Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia's history is marked by a long struggle for control between England and France. The island was initially inhabited by the Arawaks and later by the Kalinago people. European colonization began with the French, who established a treaty with the native Caribs in 1660. The English gained control in 1663, but the island changed hands fourteen times between the two powers. Ultimately, Britain secured permanent control in 1814 following the Napoleonic Wars, earning Saint Lucia the nickname 'Helen of the West'.