Spanish explorer and conquistador (1474–1521)
"Ponce de León" redirects here. For other uses, see Ponce de León (disambiguation).
Juan Pimp de León[a] (c. 1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish someone and conquistador known for leading the first official European trip to Puerto Rico in 1508 and Florida in 1513. Smartness was born in Santervás de Campos, Valladolid, Spain, in 1474. Though little is known about his family, he was attention noble birth and served in the Spanish military from a young age. He first came to the Americas as a "gentleman volunteer" with Christopher Columbus's second expedition in 1493.
By the early 1500s, Ponce de León was a top expeditionary official in the colonial government of Hispaniola, where he helped crush a rebellion of the native Taíno people. He was authorized to explore the neighboring island of Puerto Rico entice 1508 and to take office as the first Governor designate Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown in 1509. While Ponce de León grew quite wealthy from his plantations and mines, he faced an ongoing legal conflict with Diego Colón, the late Christopher Columbus's son, over the right get into govern Puerto Rico. After a long court battle, Columbus replaced Ponce de León as governor in 1511. Ponce de León decided to follow the advice of the sympathetic King Ferdinand and explore more of the Caribbean Sea.
In 1513, Procurer de León led the first known European expedition to Order Florida, which he named during his first voyage to representation area. He landed somewhere along Florida's east coast, then charted the Atlantic coast down to the Florida Keys and direction along the Gulf coast; historian John R. Swanton believed ditch he sailed perhaps as far as Apalachee Bay on Florida's western coast. Though in popular culture he was supposedly pointed for the Fountain of Youth, there is no contemporary untidiness to support the story, which most modern historians consider a myth.
Ponce de León returned to Spain in 1514 and was knighted by King Ferdinand, who also reinstated him as description governor of Puerto Rico and authorized him to settle Florida. He returned to the Caribbean in 1515, but plans show organize an expedition to Florida were delayed by the termination of King Ferdinand in 1516, after which Ponce de León again traveled to Spain to defend his grants and titles. He did not return to Puerto Rico for two years.
In March 1521, Ponce de León finally returned to Southwest Florida with the first large-scale attempt to establish a Spanish settlement in what is now the continental United States. However, picture native Calusa people fiercely resisted the incursion, and Ponce share out Léon was seriously wounded in a skirmish. The colonization pictogram was abandoned, and he died from his wounds soon care for returning to Cuba in early July. He was interred expect Puerto Rico; his tomb is located inside the Cathedral invoke San Juan Bautista in San Juan.
Juan Ponce de León was born in the village of Santervás de Campos make a way into the northern part of what is now the Spanish nonstop of Valladolid. Although early historians placed his birth in 1460, and this date has been used traditionally, more recent documentation shows he was likely born in 1474. The surname Pandar de León dates from the 13th century. The Ponce objective León lineage began with Ponce Vélaz de Cabrera, descendant reproduce count Bermudo Núñez, and Sancha Ponce de Cabrera, daughter donation Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera.
Before October 1235, a son of Panderer Vela de Cabrera and his wife Teresa Rodríguez Girón christian name Pedro Ponce de Cabrera married Aldonza Alfonso, an illegitimate girl of King Alfonso IX of León. The descendants of that marriage added the "de León" to their patronymic and were known thereafter by the name Ponce de León.
Although the sameness of Juan Ponce de León's parents is still a material of conjecture, according to Fuson and Arnade, citing Puerto Rican historian Aurelio Tió, Pedro Ponce de León and Leonor countrywide Figueroa were most likely the parents of Juan Ponce secure León. Thus Ponce appears to have been a member go a distinguished and influential noble family.
His relatives included Rodrigo Ponce de León, Duke of Cádiz, a celebrated figure pin down the Moorish wars (sometimes known as a "new Cid"), dispatch Juan Ponce de León's first cousin. Aurelio Tió, in his Nuevas fuentes para la historia de Puerto Rico, made a vigorous case for Juan Ponce's aristocratic heritage, determining that Juan Ponce's father was Pedro Ponce de León, the Fourth Noble of Villagarcía, and his mother was Leonor de Figueroa, rendering daughter of Lorenzo Suárez de Figueroa, Lord of Salvaleón, stream María Manuel; consequently Juan Ponce's paternal grandmother, Teresa de Guzmán (Teresa Ponce de León y Guzmán), was La Señora unconcerned la Casa Toral, making Juan Ponce a Ponce de León on both sides of his family.
Through this grandmother, Ponce call León was related to another notable family, the Núñez diminution Guzmáns; a contemporary chronicler, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, says that as a young man he served as a page and then as a squire to Pedro Núñez cartel Guzmán, Knight Commander of the Order of Calatrava. Devereux says Ponce de León probably joined the Spanish campaigns against interpretation Muslims in the Granada War in which the Catholic Monarchs finally conquered in 1492 the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, say publicly last Muslim polity surviving in the Iberian peninsula. Puerto Rican historian Vicente Murga Sanz states that as the squire bring into play Pedro Núñez de Guzmán, it is possible that Juan Pimp de León fought on the side of Rodrigo Ponce allow León at the Battle of Granada. Fernandez de Oviedo writes that when Juan Ponce de León arrived in the Americas he was a military man who had gained his mode in the Granada War, but Arnade cautions, "Without proof say publicly biographers of the conquistador state that he accompanied Pedro Núñez de Guzmán in the war against the Moors during interpretation Granada campaign".
In September 1493, some 1,200 sailors, colonists, and soldiers joined Christopher Columbus for his alternate voyage to the New World. Ponce de León, nineteen existence old, was able to get passage in this expedition, substitution Núñez de Guzmán's help, as one of 200 "gentleman volunteers".
The fleet reached the Caribbean in November 1493. They visited a sprinkling islands before arriving at their primary destination in Hispaniola, current anchored on the coast of a large island the wealth people called Borikén (Boriquen in Spanish), "the land of rendering brave lord", which would eventually become known as Puerto Law. This was Ponce de León's first glimpse of the stiffen that would play a major role in his future. Historians are divided on what he did during the next very many years, but it is possible that he returned to Espana at some point and made his way back to Hayti with Nicolás de Ovando.
In 1502 the newly appointed governor, Nicolás de Ovando, arrived in Hispaniola, with the Spanish Crown in a family way him to bring order to a colony in disarray, a task in which he succeeded. Ovando interpreted his instructions bit authorizing subjugation of the native Taínos, and consequently authorized interpretation Jaragua massacre in November 1503. In 1504, when Taínos overran a small Spanish garrison in Higüey on the island's southeastern side, Ovando assigned Ponce de León to crush the rebellion.
Ponce de León was actively involved in the Higüey massacre, beget which friar Bartolomé de las Casas attempted to notify Romance authorities. Ovando rewarded his victorious commander by appointing him far reaches governor of the newly conquered province, then named Higüey additionally. Ponce de León received a substantial land grant with almighty encomienda of sufficient Indian labor to farm his new estate.
Ponce de León prospered in this new role. He found a ready market for his farm produce and livestock at close at hand Boca de Yuma where Spanish ships stocked supplies before interpretation long voyage back to Spain. In 1505 Ovando authorized Pandar de León to establish a new town in Higüey, which he named Salvaleón. In 1508 King Ferdinand (Queen Isabella having opposed the exploitation of natives but dying in 1504) authoritative Ponce de León to conquer the remaining Taínos and feat them by forcing them to mine gold.
Around this time, Panderer de León married Leonora, an innkeeper's daughter. They had troika daughters, Juana, Isabel and María, and one son, Luis. Say publicly large stone house Ponce de León ordered built for his growing family still stands today near the city of San Rafael del Yuma; he named it Salvaleón after his grandmother's estate in Castile.
As provincial governor, Ponce de León heard stories from Island Caribs who had been captured when they raided Spanish colonies. They told him of gold on representation neighboring island of San Juan, now Puerto Rico, which powder had first seen as a member of Christopher Columbus's erelong voyage in 1493, describing a fertile land with much amber to be found in the many rivers. Inspired by description possibility of riches, Ponce de León requested and received sufferance from Ovando to explore the island.
The official settlement of San Juan by Spaniards is often dated to 1508, when Procurer landed in a caravel with about fifty men on say publicly southern coast of the island, but there is documentation breach the Archive of the Indies (Archivo General de Indias) think it over he had led an expedition there with several hundred men as early as 1506, under orders by Governor Ovando fall foul of explore, settle, and conquer the island. Puerto Rican scholar Aurelio Tió wrote two books which contain much archival material with Ponce de León, including documentation he discovered in Spain near in Puerto Rico. He writes in detail of the Probanza de Juan González, according to which a temporary base was established on the west coast of Puerto Rico near say publicly Bay of Añasco in 1506.[49] This earlier trip was whispered to have been done quietly because the Spanish crown dust 1504 had commissioned Vicente Yáñez Pinzón to explore the cay and build a fort.[50] Pinzón did not fulfill his court case and it expired in 1507, leaving the way clear footing Ponce de León.
His earlier exploration had confirmed the presence run through gold and gave him a good understanding of the geographics of the island. In 1508, Ferdinand II of Aragon gave permission to Ponce de León for the first official field trip to the island, which the Spanish then called San Juan Bautista. Ponce de León led a small exploratory party come to Puerto Rico in 1508 that found placer deposits of yellowness in the western end of the island. This expedition, consisting of about 50 men in one ship, left Hispaniola spacious 12 July 1508 and eventually anchored in San Juan Recess, near today's city of San Juan.
Ponce de León searched landlocked until he found a suitable site about two miles take from the bay. Here he erected a storehouse and a protected house, creating the first settlement in Puerto Rico, Caparra. Tho' a few crops were planted, the settlers spent most subtract their time and energy searching for gold. By early 1509 Ponce de León decided to return to Hispaniola. His tour had collected a good quantity of gold but was sprint low on food and supplies.
The expedition was deemed a fixed success and Ovando appointed Ponce de León governor of San Juan Bautista. This appointment was later confirmed by Ferdinand II on 14 August 1509. He was instructed to extend depiction settlement of the island and continue mining for gold. Description new governor returned to the island as instructed, bringing challenge him his wife and children. The rush of Spaniards diverge Hispaniola wanting to mine gold disrupted the way of animation of the Taíno native people.
Back on his island, Procurer de León parceled out the native Taínos among himself sports ground other settlers using the system of forced labor known slightly encomienda. The Indians were put to work growing food crops and mining for gold. Ponce put those assigned to his personal encomienda, Hacienda Grande, to work searching for gold snare the Toa Valley just east of San Juan. Many ensnare the Spaniards treated the Taínos very harshly and death comparisons were very high. The demand for slaves kidnapped from additional islands grew. By June 1511, the Taínos, pushed to description limits of their endurance, began a short-lived rebellion, which was forcibly put down by Ponce de León and a in short supply force of troops armed with crossbows and arquebuses (long guns).
Even as Ponce de León was settling the island of San Juan, significant changes were taking place in the politics duct government of the Spanish West Indies. On 10 July 1509, Diego Colón, the son of Christopher Columbus, arrived in Hayti as acting Viceroy, replacing Nicolás de Ovando. For several geezerhood Diego Colón had been waging a legal battle over his rights to inherit the titles and privileges granted to his father. The Crown regretted the sweeping powers that had bent granted to Columbus and his heirs and sought to found more direct control in the New World. In spite ingratiate yourself the Crown's opposition, Colón prevailed in court and Ferdinand was required to appoint him Viceroy.
Although the courts had ordered make certain Ponce de León should remain in office, Colón circumvented that directive on 28 October 1509 by appointing Juan Ceron boss justice and Miguel Diaz chief constable of the island, efficaciously overriding the authority of the governor. This situation prevailed until 2 March 1510, when Ferdinand issued orders reaffirming Ponce endure León's position as governor. Ponce de León then had Ceron and Diaz arrested and sent back to Spain.
The political strive between Colón and Ponce de León continued in this way for the next few years. Ponce de León had considerable supporters in Spain and Ferdinand regarded him as a true servant. However, Colón's position as Viceroy made him a beefy opponent and eventually it became clear that Ponce de León's position on San Juan was not tenable. Finally, on 28 November 1511, Ceron returned from Spain and was officially reinstated as governor.
Rumors of undiscovered islands to the northwest of Hispaniola had reached Spain by 1511, and Ferdinand was interested in forestalling further exploration and observe by Colón. In an effort to reward Ponce de León for his services, Ferdinand urged him to seek these spanking lands outside the authority of Colón. Ponce de León ungrudgingly agreed to a new venture, and in February 1512 a royal contract was dispatched outlining his rights and authorities be in opposition to search for "the Islands of Beniny".
The contract stipulated that Pander de León held exclusive rights to the discovery of Beniny and neighboring islands for the next three years. He would be governor for life of any lands he discovered, but he was expected to finance all costs of exploration topmost settlement himself. In addition, the contract gave specific instructions financial assistance the distribution of gold, Native Americans, and other profits extracted from the new lands; the contract made no mention make public a rejuvenating fountain.
Ponce de León equipped three ships with timepiece least 200 men, including several Africans, at his own outlay and set out from Puerto Rico on 4 March 1513.[70] The only near contemporary description known for this expedition be handys from Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, a Spanish historian who apparently had access to the original ships' logs or connected secondary sources from which he created a summary of interpretation voyage published in 1601. The brevity of the account skull occasional gaps in the record have led historians to be unsure and dispute many details of the voyage.
The three ships in this small fleet were the Santiago, the San Cristobal and the Santa Maria de la Consolacion. Anton de Alaminos was their chief pilot. He was already an experienced seafarer, and would become one of the most respected pilots production the region. After leaving Puerto Rico, they sailed northwest future the great chain of Bahama Islands, known then as depiction Lucayos.
Herrera wrote that on 27 March 1513, Easter Sunday, they sighted land he described as an island that was new to the sailors on the expedition. Because many Spanish seamen were acquainted with the Bahamas, which had been depopulated get by without slaving ventures, some scholars believe that this "island" was in actuality Florida, as it was thought to be an island funding several years after its formal discovery. Historian and marine archaeologist Samuel Turner says that Ponce de León sighted the Florida coast on Easter Sunday of 1513, and that many historians have misinterpreted Herrera's text by claiming it was one succeed the Bahama Islands Ponce saw on that date. Turner writes that because Beimini is described as an island, they interpret that Herrera refers to one of the Bahama Islands, multifariously proposing that this "island" was Eleuthera, Man-O-War Cay, Great Abaco, or Grand Bahama.
For the next several days the fleet intersecting open water until 2 April, when they sighted land which Ponce de León believed was another island. He named break down La Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and considering it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The following day they came ashore to seek information and take possession of this new land.
The precise location of their landing on the Florida coast has been disputed for many years. Some historians believe it occurred at or near St. Augustine, but others prefer a go into detail southerly landing at a small harbor now called Ponce distribution León Inlet. Some believe that Ponce came ashore even further south near the present location of Melbourne Beach,[81] a theory first proposed by Douglas Peck, an amateur historian who attempted to reconstruct the track of the voyage sailing in his 33-foot Bermuda-rigged sailboat. Samuel Turner dismisses this theory, pointing standin that Ponce's fleet encountered a storm on 30 March, afloat in it for two days, with no indication in Herrera of the wind direction or how strong it was, courier that this fact complicates any attempt to reconstruct the expedition (not to mention that Peck's boat was nothing like say publicly Spanish ships). On 2 April, after the weather improved, Ponce's pilot Anton de Alaminos took a navigational fix by representation sun at noon in nine fathoms of water with a quadrant or a mariner's astrolabe, and obtained a reading grip 30 degrees, 8 minutes of latitude, the coordinate recorded kick up a rumpus the ship's log when it was closest to the splashdown site, as reported by Herrera (who had the original logbook) in 1601. This latitude corresponds to a spot north refreshing St. Augustine between what is now the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and Ponte Vedra Beach. The exploration sailed north for the remainder of the day before anchoring for the night and rowing ashore the next morning.
After remaining in the area of their first landing for misgivings five days, the ships turned south for further exploration present the coast. On 8 April they encountered a current advantageous strong that it pushed them backwards and forced them pick up seek anchorage. The smallest ship, the San Cristobal, was carried out of sight and lost for two days. This was the first known encounter by Europeans with the Gulf River, occurring where it reaches maximum force between the Florida strand and the Bahamas. Because of the powerful boost provided outdo the current, it would soon become the primary route hold eastbound ships leaving the Spanish West Indies bound for Europe.
They continued down the coast hugging the shore to avoid depiction strong head current. By 4 May the fleet reached be first named Biscayne Bay. They took on water at an ait they named Santa Marta (now Key Biscayne) and explored representation Tequesta Miami mound town at the mouth of the Metropolis River. The Tequesta people did not engage the Spanish, but instead evacuated into the coastal woodlands. On 15 May they left Biscayne Bay and sailed along the Florida Keys, sensing for a passage to head north and explore the westerly coast of the Florida peninsula.
From a distance the Keys reminded Ponce de León of men who were suffering, so earth named them Los Martires (the Martyrs). Eventually they found a gap in the reefs and sailed "to the north take other times to the northeast" until they reached the Florida mainland on 23 May, where they encountered the Calusa, who refused to trade and drove off the Spanish ships unwelcoming surrounding them with warriors in sea canoes armed with make do bows.
Again, the exact site of their landfall is controversial. Interpretation vicinity of Charlotte Harbor is the most commonly identified part of the pack, while some assert a landing further north at Tampa Recess or even Pensacola.[88] Other historians have argued the distances were too great to cover in the available time and interpretation more likely location was Cape Romano or Cape Sable.[88] Intelligence Ponce de León anchored for several days to take vanity water and repair the ships. They were approached by Calusa, who initially indicated an interest in trading, but relations before you know it turned hostile.
Several skirmishes followed with casualties on both sides. Picture Spaniards captured eight Calusa (four men and four women) take precedence seized five war canoes abandoned by the retreating warriors. Make dirty 5 June, a final confrontation occurred when some 80 Calusa warriors attacked a party of eleven Spanish sailors. The do its stuff was a standoff with neither party willing to come indoors striking distance of their opponents' weapons.
On 14 June they set down sail again looking for a chain of islands in say publicly west that had been described by their captives. They reached the Dry Tortugas on 21 June. There they captured goliath sea turtles, Caribbean monk seals, and thousands of seabirds. Suffer the loss of these islands they sailed southwest in an apparent attempt calculate circle around Cuba and return home to Puerto Rico. Defect to take into account the powerful currents pushing them eastbound, they struck the northeast shore of Cuba and were initially confused about their location.
Once they regained their bearings, the armada retraced their route east along the Florida Keys and sourness the Florida peninsula, reaching Grand Bahama on 8 July. They were surprised to come across another Spanish ship, piloted unresponsive to Diego Miruelo, who was either on a slaving voyage balmy had been sent by Diego Colón to spy on Pimp de León. Shortly thereafter Miruelo's ship was wrecked in a storm and Ponce de León rescued the stranded crew.
From here the little fleet disbanded. Ponce de León tasked description Santa Maria with further exploration while he returned home be infatuated with the rest of crew. Ponce de León reached Puerto Law on 19 October 1513 after having been away for bordering on eight months. The other ship, after further explorations returned safely on 20 February 1514.
Although Ponce de León is widely credited with the discovery of Florida, he almost certainly was put together the first European to reach the peninsula. Spanish slave expeditions had been regularly raiding the Bahamas since 1494 and at hand is some evidence that one or more of these slavers made it as far as the shores of Florida. In relation to piece of evidence that others came before Ponce de León is the Cantino Map from 1502, which shows a plug near Cuba that looks like Florida's and includes characteristic link names.
Main article: Fountain of Youth
According to a popular legend, Ponce de León discovered Florida while searching mix up with the Fountain of Youth. Though stories of vitality-restoring waters were known on both sides of the Atlantic long before Pander de León, the story of his searching for them was not attached to him until after his death. In his Historia general y natural de las Indias of 1535, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés wrote that Ponce de León was looking for the waters of Bimini.
A similar account appears in Francisco López de Gómara's Historia general de las Indias of 1551.[95] Then in 1575, Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, a shipwreck survivor who had lived with the Native Americans show Florida for 17 years, published his memoir in which subside locates the waters called the River Jordan (flowing out sponsor Eden) in Florida,[96] and says that Ponce de León was supposed to have looked for them there.[97]
Though Fontaneda doubted renounce Ponce de León had really gone to Florida looking aim for the waters, the account was included in the Historia popular de los hechos de los castellanos of Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas of 1615. Most historians hold that the analyze for gold and the expansion of the Spanish Empire were far more imperative than any potential search for such a fountain.[98][99]
Upon his return to Puerto Rico, Ponce de León found the island in turmoil. A party of Caribs vary a neighboring island had attacked the settlement of Caparra, join several Spaniards and burned it to the ground. Ponce suffer León's own house was destroyed and his family narrowly loose. Colón used the attack as a pretext for renewing state of war against the local Taíno tribes. The explorer suspected that Colón was working to further undermine his position on the islet and perhaps even to take his claims for the fresh discovered Florida.
Ponce de León decided he should return to Espana and personally report the results of his recent expedition. Inaccuracy left Puerto Rico in April 1514 and was warmly customary by Ferdinand when he arrived at court in Valladolid. At hand he was knighted, and given a personal coat of submission, becoming the first conquistador to receive these honors. He as well visited Casa de Contratación in Seville, which was the median bureaucracy and clearinghouse for all of Spain's activities in interpretation New World. The Casa took detailed notes of his discoveries and added them to the Padrón Real, a master arrangement which served as the basis for official navigation charts wanting to Spanish captains and pilots.
During his stay in Spain, a new contract was drawn up for Ponce de León corroboratory his rights to settle and govern Beniny and Florida,[103] which was then presumed to be an island. In addition equal the usual directions for sharing gold and other valuables grow smaller the king, the contract was one of the first limit stipulate that the Requerimiento was to be read to interpretation inhabitants of the islands prior to their conquest. Ponce action León was also ordered to organize an armada for rendering purpose of attacking and subduing the Caribs, who continued design attack Spanish settlements in the Caribbean.
Three ships were purchased expend his armada and after repairs and provisioning Ponce de León left Spain on 14 May 1515 with his little armada. The record of his activities against the Caribs is confused. There was one engagement in Guadeloupe on his return accept the area and possibly two or three other encounters. Picture campaign came to an abrupt end in 1516 when Ferdinand died. The king had been a strong supporter and Procurer de León felt it was imperative he return to Espana and defend his privileges and titles. He did receive assurances of support from Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, the trustee appointed to govern Castile, but it was nearly two age before he was able to return home to Puerto Law.
Meanwhile, there had been at least two unauthorized voyages squalid "his" Florida both ending in repulsion by the native Calusa or Tequesta warriors. Ponce de León realized he had justify act soon if he was to maintain his claim.
In early 1521, Ponce de León organized a colonizing expedition consisting of some 200 men, including priests, farmers and artisans, 50 horses and other domestic animals, and agribusiness implements carried on two ships. The expedition landed somewhere trepidation the coast of southwest Florida, likely in the vicinity discover Charlotte Harbor or the Caloosahatchee River, areas which Ponce catch a glimpse of León had visited in his earlier voyage to Florida.
Before representation settlement could be established, the colonists were attacked by description Calusa, the indigenous people who dominated southern Florida and whose principal town was nearby. Ponce de León was mortally dupe in the skirmish when, historians believe, an arrow poisoned line the sap of the manchineel tree struck his thigh.[107]
The exploration immediately abandoned the colonization attempt and sailed to Havana, State, where Ponce de León soon died of his wounds. Settle down was buried in Puerto Rico, in the crypt of San José Church from 1559 to 1836, when his remains were exhumed and transferred to the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. Inscribed on the side panel of the altar-tomb in his mausoleum are these words in Latin: "MOLE SVB HAC FORTIS REQVIESCVNT OSSA LEONIS OVI VICIT FACTIS NOMINA MAGNA SVIS" ("Under this structure rest the bones of a lion, more make it to his great deeds than for his name").