Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context UsefulNotes / Martinique

Go To

1[[quoteright:328:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/martinique_map.gif]]
2
3Originally called Martinica by UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus, who spent 3 days there refilling his water casks, bathing and washing laundry when he landed there on 15 June 1502, Martinique is an [[UsefulNotes/DepartementalIssues overseas region]] of UsefulNotes/{{France}} (formerly a part of its [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchColonialEmpire colonial empire]]) located in the Windward Island chain in UsefulNotes/{{the Caribbean}} south of UsefulNotes/{{Dominica}} (UsefulNotes/{{Guadeloupe}}, meanwhile, is North of Dominica). The capital of the territory was originally St.-Pierre, but the volcano of Mont Pelée erupted in the 8th of May, 1902, obliterating the city and killing over 30,000, with refugees arriving in Dominica by boat. The only survivor in St.-Pierre was a [[LuckyBastard convict]], Ludger Sylbaris, who was saved by the thick walls of his prison cell. As a result, the capital shifted to Fort-de-France, which remains the capital to this day. The majority of the current population is of Sub-Saharan UsefulNotes/{{Africa}}n descent due to the slave trade.
4
5Martinique was a major topic of one of the only battles set in UsefulNotes/NorthAmerica in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the Battle of the Caribbean. Martinique was officially pro-Vichy France until mid-1943, and relations between it and the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom deteriorated following the Second Armistice at Compiègne, with the territory seen as a possible base for Axis ships, and the US preparing plans for an invasion by an expeditionary force to capture the island, with the US and Britain establishing several blockades. 286 tons of gold from the Bank of France that were originally intended for Canada were also rerouted there and kept in Fort Desaix. In return for the Allies not bombarding and invading the French Antilles, Admiral Robert agreed to keep the French fleet stationed there immobilized, and Free French sympathizers eventually took control of the gold at Fort Desaix and the French fleet in 1943 as Admiral Robert returned to France.
6----
7!!Notable people from Martinique:
8
9* UsefulNotes/JosephineDeBeauharnais, first wife of UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte and, for a time, Empress consort of the French, was born in Martinique, in a family of ''békés'' (creole word for descendants of white French colonists).
10* Author, poet and politician Aimé Césaire, founder of the ''Négritude'' movement.
11* Actor/voice actor Creator/ThierryDesroses (the French voice of Creator/SamuelLJackson) was born in France from Martinican parents.
12* News anchor and TV show host Audrey Pulvar.
13* TV show host Sabine Quindou, co-host of the {{science show}} ''Series/CestPasSorcier''.
14* The parents of [[HipHop rapper]] Didier Morville aka Creator/JoeyStarr of Music/SupremeNTM fame came from Martinique.
15----
16[[AC:The Martiniquan flag]]
17[[quoteright:240:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_martinique_2023.png]]
18->This flag, known as the nationalist ''rouge-vert-noir'' ("red-green-black") flag, was adopted as the flag of Martinique on 2 February 2023. Designed by Guy Cabort-Masson and Alex Ferdinand in 1968, it consists of a red triangle based at the hoist over equal-sized bands of green and black, and was/is flown by activists vying for Martinique's independence. As Martinique is an overseas department of France, the French tricolour is also used officially. Wikipedia's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Martinique article on this flag]] goes into detail about Martinique's unusual struggles in finding a flag to adopt.
19----
20[[AC:The French national anthem]]
21
22->Allons enfants de la patrie,
23->Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
24->Contre nous, de la tyrannie
25->L'étendard sanglant est levé.
26->L'étendard sanglant est levé.
27->Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
28->Mugir ces féroces soldats?
29->Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
30->Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes!
31
32->Aux armes, citoyens!
33->Formez vos bataillons!
34->Marchons, marchons,
35->Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons!
36
37--
38
39->Let us go, children of the motherland,
40->The day of glory has come!
41->Against us, the tyranny's
42->bloody flag has been raised.
43->Bloody flag has been raised.
44->Can you hear in the countryside,
45->These ferocious soldiers bellowing?
46->They come all the way into your arms
47->[[KickTheDog To cut your sons and wives' throats!]]
48
49->To arms, citizens!
50->Form your batallions!
51->Let us march, let us march,
52->[[{{Squick}} And let an impure blood flow into our furrows!]]
53----
54[[AC:Government]]
55* Overseas department under a unitary semi-presidential republic
56** President of Executive Council: Serge Letchimy
57----
58* '''Capital and largest city:''' Fort-de-France
59* '''Population:''' 375,053
60* '''Area:''' 1,128 km
61 (436 sq mi)
62* '''Currency''': Euro (€) (EUR)

Top