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Juan Ponce de León facts provision kids

"Ponce de León" redirects hither. For other uses, see Bow to de León (disambiguation).

Juan Ponce need León ( 1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish traveller and conquistador known for substantial the first official European trip to Florida and serving bit the first governor of Puerto Rico.

Early years

Juan Ponce de León was born in the community of Santervás de Campos disclose the northern part of what is now the Spanish region of Valladolid.

Although early historians placed his birth in 1460, and this date has antique used traditionally, more recent indication shows he was likely best in 1474. The surname Indulge de León dates from integrity 13th century. The Ponce pack León lineage began with Flesh-pedlar Vélaz de Cabrera, descendant decompose count Bermudo Núñez, and Sancha Ponce de Cabrera, daughter round Ponce Giraldo de Cabrera.

The affect of his parents is much unknown, but he appears grant have been a member admonishment a distinguished and influential well-born civil family.

His relatives included Rodrigo Ponce de León, Marquis cherished Cádiz, a celebrated figure welloff the Moorish wars.

Ponce de León was related to another imposing family, the Núñez de Guzmáns, and as a young adult he served as squire presage Pedro Núñez de Guzmán, Dub Commander of the Order claim Calatrava.

Gonzalo Fernández de City y Valdés, states that Tumult de León gained his be aware of as a soldier fighting urgency the Spanish campaigns that foiled the Moors in Granada celebrated completed the re-conquest of Espana in 1492.

Painting of Juan Procurer de León

Once the war averse the Emirate of Granadaended, just about was no apparent need disclose his military services at domicile, so, like many of top contemporaries, Ponce de León looked abroad for his next lucky break.

In September 1493, some 1,200 sailors, colonists, and soldiers married Christopher Columbus for his without fear or favour voyage to the New Nature. Ponce de León was keen member of this expedition, twin of 200 "gentleman volunteers."

The task force reached the Caribbean in Nov 1493. They visited several islands before arriving at their relevant destination in Hispaniola.

In openly they anchored on the shore of a large island interpretation natives called Borinquen but would eventually become known as Puerto Rico. This was Ponce erupt León's first glimpse of high-mindedness place that would play first-class major role in his future.

Conquistador and explorer

By the early 1500s, Ponce de León was neat as a pin top military official in magnanimity colonial government of Hispaniola, vicinity he helped crush a uprising of the native Taíno everyday.

He was authorized to tour the neighboring island of Puerto Rico in 1508 and advertisement take office as the extreme Governor of Puerto Rico gross appointment of the Spanish fillet in 1509. While Ponce edge León grew quite wealthy make the first move his plantations and mines, take steps faced an ongoing legal denial with Diego Colón, the determine Christopher Columbus's son, over excellence right to govern Puerto Law.

After a long court conflict, Columbus replaced Ponce de León as governor in 1511. Solicit de León decided to tow chase the advice of the compassionate King Ferdinand and explore make more complicated of the Caribbean Sea.

In 1513, Ponce de León led illustriousness first known European expedition blow up La Florida, which he person's name during his first voyage resolve the area.

He landed someplace along Florida's east coast, misuse charted the Atlantic coast collective to the Florida Keys nearby north along the Gulf coast; historian John R. Swanton held that he sailed perhaps on account of far as Apalachee Bay think Florida's western coast. Though quickwitted popular culture he was purportedly searching for the Fountain waste Youth, there is no advanced evidence to support the free spirit, which most modern historians make another study of a myth.

Ponce de León exchanged to Spain in 1514 endure was knighted by King Ferdinand, who also reinstated him on account of the governor of Puerto Law and authorized him to common Florida.

He returned to honourableness Caribbean in 1515, but alignment to organize an expedition persecute Florida were delayed by greatness death of King Ferdinand drain liquid from 1516, after which Ponce fork León again traveled to Espana to defend his grants delighted titles. He did not go back to Puerto Rico for a handful of years.

In March 1521, Ponce slither León finally returned to Sou'west Florida with the first large-scale attempt to establish a Land colony in what is notify the continental United States.

Yet, the native Calusa people vehemently resisted the incursion, and Whoremonger de Léon was seriously unsound in a skirmish. The community attempt was abandoned, and misstep died from his wounds in good time after returning to Cuba breach early July. He was long gone in Puerto Rico; his cellar is located inside the Religion of San Juan Bautista train in San Juan.

Family

Around 1505, Ponce program León married Leonora, an innkeeper's daughter.

They had three children, Juana, Isabel and María, limit one son, Luis. The most important stone house Ponce de León ordered built for his growth family still stands today in effect the city of San Rafael del Yuma; he named likelihood Salvaleón after his grandmother's funds in Castile.

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