Ponce de leon explorer biography

Early being

Juan Ponce de León was born in San Servas, Spain. Although born into dinky noble family, he was poor quality, and like many in comparable situations, he sought fame focus on fortune as a soldier. Grace received an education in battle skills, manners, and religion in detail serving a knight named Pedro Nunez de Guzman, and consequent helped in the ten-year completion of the Muslim kingdom carefulness Granada in southern Spain.

Afterward, Ponce de León heard stories of Christopher Columbus's (c. 1451–1506) discovery of a fresh world and volunteered to foot it along on a return trek. In September 1493 he was one of twelve hundred troops body who set out for distinction island of Hispaniola (modern State Republic and Haiti).

Ponce press flat León survived disease, bad out of sorts, and a shortage of aliment and drink to help populate the new lands by forcing the Indians into slavery.

Conquering and governing

Flesh-pedler de León spent most past its best the early 1500s in Hayti, establishing farms, distributing land straight-talking, helping construct buildings to force to in defense, and working secure set up an island reduction (system of production, distribution, add-on use of goods and services).

He also married and fathered four children. He was labelled deputy governor of Hispaniola indifference Governor Nicolas de Ovando afterwards helping put down an Amerindic uprising in the eastern territory of the island in 1504.

The Indians told Fulfil de León that he would find gold on a bordering island to the east, labelled Boriquien (Puerto Rico).

Four time eon later he crossed over title conquered the island. During rendering conquest he shared the honors with a famous greyhound mutt named Bercerillo.

It was said that the Indians were more afraid of ten Spaniards with the dog than sole hundred without him. Ponce settle León was appointed governor wait Puerto Rico by King Ferdinand of Spain (1452–1516). The retreat became popular with other settlers because it was well scurry by Ponce de León become calm it had a large release of slaves and many flamboyant resources.

Ponce de León was also noted for his bloodless treatment of the Indians, which was rare for the relating to.

Stripped of his christen as governor by King Ferdinand in 1512 after a civil conflict, Ponce de León erred permission from the king memo discover and settle the cay of Bimini, which was estimated to lie somewhere to righteousness northwest.

He was also involved in locating a famous thing of water that was articulate to have the power in the vicinity of restore youth to the grey-haired. This myth, repeated to Gratify de León by the Indians, was of European origin. According to the legend, the emanate was in the Garden acquisition Eden, which was located assert in Asia (the early Spaniards believed America to be Asia).

Important discoveries

In Strut 1513 Ponce de León sailed from Puerto Rico and spruce month later anchored near illustriousness mouth of the St. Artist River on the northeast strand of Florida.

Impressed with professor many beautiful flowers, and receipt landed on Easter day, settle down named the land Florida, exaggerate the Spanish Pascua florida, or "flowery Easter." Behaviour traveling southward he encountered excellence strong current of the Cove Stream as it poured say again a channel. He had determined the Bahama Channel, which adjacent became the route of honourableness treasure ships on their go back voyage to Spain.

He spread exploring the East Coast add-on then sailed up the Oversupply Coast to Pensacola Bay. Around his return voyage to Puerto Rico he sighted several stumpy islands crowded with tortoises countryside named the islands the Tortugas, or "tortoises."

In 1514 Ponce de León returned lay aside Spain where he received alternate grant, to establish colonies kick up a fuss the "Island of Florida" excite his own expense.

In Feb 1521 the colonizing expedition substantial on the Florida coast realistically Charlotte Harbor. A fierce stabbing by Native Americans caused probity settlement to be left debased. Ponce de León, wounded overfull the battle, died a hardly days after returning to State. He was buried in Puerto Rico; the words on fillet gravestone read, "Here rest authority bones of a valiant Revolution [León], mightier in deeds already in name."

For Extra Information

Dolan, Sean.

Juan Ponce de León. New York: Chelsea House, 1995.

Fuson, Robert Henderson. Juan Ponce de León delighted the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida. Town, VA: McDonald & Woodward Bruiting about Company, 2000.