Crusoe Island Lodge   History of Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island born of volcanic explosions, which later
gave birth to the Juan Fernández Islands, ie, Alejandro Selkirk
and Santa Clara.  The islands was discovered by Spanish sailor
Juan Fernández, probably between 1563 and 1574. Officially given
as the date of its discovery on 22 November 1574. In the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was used as a hideout for
pirates and privateers such as John Cook, John Eaton, Edward
Davis and Bartholomew Sharp.   In 1749 was built by the Santa
Barbara Spanish Fort on the island Más a Tierra (Robinson
Crusoe), as protection against pirates and privateers. It was
rebuilt in 1974 and declared a historical monument in 1979. At
the time he was protected by 6 forts with artillery. In 1832,
the islands was visited by Claudio Gay  In 1915, during the
First World War, the German cruiser SMS Dresden was demolished
by its own crew in Cumberland Bay, after hiding for months in
the fjord Quintupeu and being chased