Why is ponce de leon important to florida

Led by Rene Laudonniere, Fort Caroline was built from the remains of the previous village. It was explained to Phillip by his advisors that the arrival of the French was a trespass on Spanish territory, and as Protestants, they were heretics. Beyond that, the presence of a French base on the eastern shore of La Florida would pose a very dangerous threat to the Spanish treasure fleets returning home. They asked her to remove her subjects, but soon learned that the French were preparing an even larger fleet to sail for Florida.

The French would have to be removed by force. When Menendez was only 30, King Charles of Spain directed him to pursue and capture a French corsair named Jean Alfonse who had recently seized ten Spanish ships. Although the king provided neither money, ships nor troops for the mission, Menendez headed out to sea where he freed five of the ships and killed Alfonse.

In , the king placed him in charge of the treasure fleets sailing between Spain and her colonies in the New World. The Casa de Contratacion, previously in charge, had lost fleets to corsairs. Menendez excelled without bribery and successfully led the fleets on their long journeys. Another war between Spain and France resulted in new duties for Menendez.

Confident that he had the direct support of the throne, Menendez became more and more disrespectful of the Casa, who had became increasingly annoyed with his success and honesty. When he returned from the voyage, the Casa accused him of numerous infractions and he was imprisoned in the Almohades treasure house in Seville. Vacation History Community St. Website by St. Augustine Web Design. In late March of , his ships landed on Florida's east coast near present-day St.

He claimed this beautiful land for Spain. Since he had discovered this country of lavish landscape and beautiful beaches, he was entitled to name it. He decided to continue his exploration of this land and sailed down the coast. As he and his men explored inland for wood and fresh water, they saw the Calusa tribal village at Mound Key. They discovered that the Calusa were an unfriendly tribe.

The explorers fled back to their ships and decided to leave the area. They sailed back to Puerto Rico. The expedition sailed back to Cuba, where he died in July He built a small financial empire that helped advance Spanish colonization in the Caribbean, and he might have gone even further had he been able to avoid political intrigue with the Columbus family. Many historical sources agree that he treated the native people under his control better than most conquistadors. However, enslavement and disease took a very heavy toll on these populations and he faced several violent uprisings during his tenure as governor.

Though he acknowledges the existence of the fable in his memoir, he was by all accounts far too practical a man to waste time on such a fantasy amidst the building of his fortune. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru and discovered the Mississippi River.

He is best known for his explorations of the coast of California from Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer and cartographer best known for establishing and governing the settlements of New France and the city of Quebec. Olivia Rodrigo —. Megan Thee Stallion —.