Muspa facts for kids

Muspa was the name of a town and a group of native people who lived in southwestern Florida. They were present from the time the Spanish first arrived until the native groups were mostly gone from Florida in the late 1700s.

Who Were the Muspa People?

The Muspa were a group of native people and also the name of their main town. They lived in southwestern Florida for a long time. They were there when the first Spanish explorers came to Florida. The Muspa people were an important part of the region's history.

Where Did the Muspa Live?

The town of Muspa was likely located near Marco Island. This area is at the northern edge of the Ten Thousand Islands. Some old maps showed Punta de Muspa at Cape Sable. However, other maps placed it at Cape Romano, which is just south of Marco Island.

The first time Muspa was mentioned was by Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda. He was a Spanish man who lived for many years as a captive of the Calusa tribe. He was rescued in 1566. Fontaneda listed Muspa as one of the towns that followed the powerful Calusa chief. The way he listed the towns suggests Muspa was on the southwest coast of Florida. It was probably between the Calusa capital, believed to be Mound Key, and Cape Sable. Later, in 1697, Spanish missionaries also said Muspa was on or near Marco Island.

Muspa and the Powerful Calusa Tribe

Marco Island is part of the Glades culture area, according to archeologists. Archeology is the study of human history through digging up old things. Around the year 1300, the style of pottery and other items found on Marco Island changed. They became very similar to those of the Caloosahatchee culture. This culture was practiced by the Calusa people who lived to the north. This change suggests that the Muspa became very close allies with the Calusa. They might have even become part of the Calusa tribe.

Muspa's Role as a Sub-Chiefdom

Muspa was an important sub-chiefdom under the main Calusa chief. A chiefdom is a society led by a chief. In 1623, the Spanish mentioned Muspa as one of five places in southern Florida. They searched these places for treasure that native people might have found. This treasure came from the wrecked treasure fleet of 1622. When Spanish missionaries were forced to leave the Calusa capital in 1697, the Chief of Muspa helped them. He escorted them safely to the Florida Keys.

The End of the Muspa People

In the early 1700s, Muspa and all Calusa lands faced many attacks. These attacks came from Muscogee and Yamasee people. These groups were allied with English colonists from the Province of Carolina. Many native people from southern Florida tried to escape to Cuba. The Chief of Muspa was among 270 refugees who arrived in Cuba in 1711. Sadly, like most of the other refugees, he died there soon after.

What Happened to the Later "Muspa"?

Most of the native people of southern Florida, including the Muspa, were gone by 1763. This was when Florida was transferred from Spain to Britain. People living near Charlotte Harbor in the 1700s and early 1800s were sometimes called "Muspa." For a long time, people thought they were the last remaining Calusa. However, historians now believe that most of these people were descendants of Muscogean groups. These groups later became known as the Seminoles in other parts of Florida.