Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Born	c. 1475 Jerez de los Caballeros, Badajoz, Spain
Died	January 15, 1519 Acla, Panama
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation	Maritime explorer for the Crown of Castile
Religious beliefs	Roman Catholic Church
Spouse	María de Peñalosa

Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–January 15, 1519) was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. Jerez de los Caballeros is a town of south-western Spain, in the province of Badajoz. Badajoz - (IPA, formerly written Badajos in English the capital of the Spanish province of Badajoz in the autonomous community Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Acla was a Spanish colonial town founded by order of the Governor of Castilla de Oro, Pedrarias Dávila, in 1515. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Introduction This is a list of notable maritime explorers throughout the History of Humanity. The Crown of Castile, as a historic entity is usually considered to have begun in 1230 with the third and definitive union of the two kingdoms of León and Castile Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World. The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia.

He traveled to the New World in 1500 and, after some exploration, settled on the island of Hispaniola. Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest and most populous Island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of He founded the settlement of Santa María la Antigua del Darién in present-day Panama in 1510, which was the first permanent European settlement on the mainland of the Americas (a settlement by Alonso de Ojeda the previous year at San Sebastián de Urabá had already been abandoned). Santa María la Antigua del Darién was a settlement established in 1510 by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa on the Caribbean coast of Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Alonso de Ojeda (c 1465 &ndash 1515 was a Spanish explorer born of noble parentage in Cuenca.

Early life

Balboa was born in Jerez de los Caballeros in Spain. Jerez de los Caballeros is a town of south-western Spain, in the province of Badajoz. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. He was a descendant of the lords of the castle of Balboa, near Villafranca de los Barros, in Badajoz; his father was the hidalgo (nobleman) Nuño Arias de Balboa, and his mother was a lady of Badajoz, which is located in southwestern Spain. Villafranca de los Barros is a municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. Badajoz - (IPA, formerly written Badajos in English the capital of the Spanish province of Badajoz in the autonomous community A hidalgo or fidalgo was a member of the Spanish and Portuguese Nobility. Nothing much is known of his early childhood except that he was the third of four boys in his family. During his adolescence, he served as a page and squire to Don Pedro de Portocarrero, lord of Moguer. A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant. The medieval page In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a Knight In Feudal or Medieval times a squire was a Man-at-arms in the service of a Knight, often as his Apprentice. Moguer is a town located in the province of Huelva, Andalusia, Spain.

Spanish colonization of the Americas

History of the conquest

Inter caetera Alaska California Florida Guatemala Mexico Peru Yucatán

Conquistadores

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Francisco Vásquez de Coronado Hernán Cortés Juan Ponce de León Francisco de Montejo Pánfilo de Narváez Francisco Pizarro Diego de Almagro Hernando de Soto Sebastián de Belalcázar Pedro de Valdivia Juan de Oñate Francisco de Orellana

Early career

In 1500, motivated by his master after the news of Christopher Columbus' voyages to the New World became known, he decided to embark on his first voyage to the Americas, along with Juan de la Cosa, on Rodrigo de Bastidas' expedition. The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain 's conquest settlement and rule over much of the Western hemisphere. Inter caetera ("Among other " was a Papal bull issued by Pope Alexander VI on 4 May 1493, which granted to Spain Spanish claims to Alaska dated to the papal bull of 1493, which divided the entire globe into Spanish and Portuguese hemispheres for the purpose of establishing colonies The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of Religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) refers to the Spanish Colony of Florida. The History of Guatemala can be traced back to the arrival of the first human settlers presumed to have migrated from the north at least 12000 years ago {5} The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was a process through which a group of forty (40 Spaniards led by Francisco Pizarro succeeded in toppling the Inca The Spanish Conquest of Yucatán was the campaign undertaken by the Spanish Conquistadores ' against the Late Postclassic Maya states and This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado y Luján (Born in 1510 &ndash Died on September 22 1554 was a Spanish Conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca ( 1485&ndash December 2, Juan Ponce de León ( IPA: /xwan'ponʒedele'on/ (1460 – July 1521 was a Spanish Conquistador. Francisco de Montejo y Alverez (c 1479 in Salamanca &ndash c 1553 in Spain) was a Spanish Conquistador in Mexico and Central America Pánfilo de Narváez (1470 &ndash 1528 was a Spanish conqueror and soldier in the Americas. Francisco Pizarro González 1st Marqués de los Atabillos (c 1471 or 1476 &ndash 26 June 1541 was a Spanish Conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire Diego de Almagro ( Almagro, Spain, c 1475 &ndash Cuzco, Peru, July 8, 1538) also known as El Adelantado Sebastián de Belalcázar (1479 or 1480 to 1551 was a Spanish Conquistador. Pedro de Valdivia (c 1500 - January 1, 1554) was a Conquistador and first royal governor of Chile. Don Juan de Oñate Salazar ( 1552 &ndash 1626) was an explorer colonial governor of the New Spain (present-day Mexico province of New Francisco de Orellana ( Trujillo, Spain, 1511 - Amazon River, November 1546 was a Spanish Explorer and Conquistador. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Juan de la Cosa (c 1460 &ndash February 28, 1510) was a Spanish cartographer, Conquistador and explorer. Rodrigo de Bastidas (1460 &ndash July 28, 1527) was a Spanish Conquistador and explorer who mapped the northern coast of Bastidas had a license to bring back treasure for the king and queen, while keeping four-fifths for himself, under a policy known as the Quinto Real, or "royal fifth. The Quinto Real or the Quinto del rey, the "King's fifth" was a 20% Tax established in 1504 that Spain levied on the " In 1501, he crossed the Caribbean coasts from the east of Panama, along the Colombian coast, through the Gulf of Urabá toward Cabo de La Vela. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. The Gulf of Urabá is a gulf on the northern coast of South America. The Department of La Guajira or simply La Guajira (la ɰwa'hiɾa is a department of Colombia. The expedition continued to explore the north coast of South America, until they realized they did not have enough men and sailed to Hispaniola, the island that is presently divided into the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest and most populous Island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole:

With his share of the earnings from this campaign, Balboa settled in Hispaniola in 1502, where he resided for several years as a planter and pig farmer. However, he was not successful in this enterprise and ended up in debt. Finally, he was forced to abandon life on the island.

In 1508, the king of Spain, Ferdinand II "The Catholic", launched the conquest of Tierra Firme (the area roughly corresponding to the Isthmus of Panama). Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón ConQuesT is an annual Science fiction convention held in the Kansas City Missouri, area by the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society Tierra Firma (also Tierra Firme, Spanish from the Latin terra firma, "dry land" served in Spanish The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific He created two new territories in the region between El Cabo de la Vela (near the eastern border of Colombia) and El Cabo de Gracias a Dios (the border between Honduras and Nicaragua). Cabo Gracias a Dios is a cape located in the middle of the east coast of Central America, within what is variously called the Mosquito Coast and La Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America The Gulf of Urabá became the border between the two territories: Nueva Andalucía to the east, governed by Alonso de Ojeda, and Veragua to the west, governed by Diego de Nicuesa. Alonso de Ojeda (c 1465 &ndash 1515 was a Spanish explorer born of noble parentage in Cuenca. Veragua or Veraguas was the name of five territorial entities in Central America beginning in the sixteenth century during the Spanish colonial period Diego de Nicuesa was a Spanish Conquistador and explorer In 1506 he was given the job of governing Costa Rica, but ran aground off the coast of Panama

In 1509, wishing to escape his creditors in Santo Domingo, Balboa set sail as a stowaway, hiding inside a barrel together with his dog Leoncico, in the expedition commanded by the Alcalde Mayor^[1] of Nueva Andalucía, Martín Fernández de Enciso, whose mission it was to aid Alonso de Ojeda, his superior. Santo Domingo de Guzmán (known as Santo Domingo population 2084852 (Metro (2003 estimated 2253437 (Metro in 2006 is the Capital and largest city in the A stowaway is a person who travels illegally by aircraft, Bus, Ship or Train. Martín Fernández de Enciso (c 1470 - 1528 was a navigator and geographer who was instrumental in colonising the Isthmus of Darien. De Ojeda, together with seventy men, had founded the settlement of San Sebastián de Urabá in Nueva Andalucía, on the location where the city of Cartagena de Indias would later be built. Cartagena de Indias (kaɾtaˈhena ð̞e ˈin̪d̪jas in Spanish; the usual English pronunciation is ˌkɑrtəˈheɪnə deɪ ˈɪndiəs is a large city However, the settlers encountered numerous warlike natives living in the area, who used poisoned weapons to defend themselves, and de Ojeda was injured in the leg. A short time later, de Ojeda sailed for Hispaniola, leaving the colony under the supervision of Francisco Pizarro, who, at that time, was only a soldier waiting for Enciso's expedition to arrive. Francisco Pizarro González 1st Marqués de los Atabillos (c 1471 or 1476 &ndash 26 June 1541 was a Spanish Conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire De Ojeda asked Pizarro to leave some men in the settlement for fifty days and, if no help arrived at the end of that time, to use all possible means to get back to Hispaniola.

Before the expedition arrived at San Sebastián de Urabá, Fernández de Enciso discovered Balboa aboard the ship, and threatened to leave him at the first uninhabited island they encountered; he later thought better of this and decided that Balboa's knowledge of that region, which he had explored eight years before, would be of great utility. This, in addition to the crew's pleas for his life, left Fernández de Enciso with no choice but to spare Balboa and keep him aboard. Moreover, both agreed on removing de Nicuesa as governor of Veragua.

After the fifty days had passed, Pizarro started preparations for the return to Hispaniola, when Enciso's ship arrived. Balboa had gained popularity among the crew because of his charisma and his knowledge of the region. By contrast Fernández de Enciso was not well liked by the men: many disapproved of his order to return to San Sebastián, especially after discovering, once they had arrived, that the settlement had been completely destroyed and that the natives were already waiting for them, leading to a series of relentless attacks.

The founding of Santa María

Balboa suggested that the settlement of San Sebastián be moved to the region of Darién, to the west of the Gulf of Urabá, where the soil was more fertile and the natives less warlike. Darién is a province in eastern Panama. It is also the largest province in Panama. Fernández de Enciso gave serious consideration to this suggestion, and the regiment later went to Darién, where the native cacique (chieftain) Cémaco had 500 warriors waiting, ready for battle. Cacique or Cazique (female form Cacica) from the Taíno word for the Pre-Columbian tribal chiefs or leaders, of the Taino The Spanish, fearful of the large number of enemy combatants, made a vow to the Virgen de la Antigua, venerated in Seville, that they would name a settlement in the region after her should they prevail. Seville ( Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. It was a difficult battle for both sides, but, by a stroke of luck, the Spanish came out victorious.

Cémaco, together with his warriors, abandoned the town and headed for the jungle. The Spanish plundered the houses and gathered a treasure-trove of golden ornaments. Balboa kept his vow, and, in September 1510, founded the first permanent settlement on mainland American soil, and called it Santa María la Antigua del Darién. Santa María la Antigua del Darién was a settlement established in 1510 by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa on the Caribbean coast of

Mayor of Santa María

The victory of the Spanish over the natives and the founding of Santa María la Antigua del Darién, now located in a relatively calm region, earned Balboa authority and respect among his companions. They were increasingly hostile towards Alcalde Mayor Fernández de Enciso, whom they considered a greedy despot because of the restrictions he imposed on their appropriation of the natives' gold.

Balboa took advantage of the situation, acting as the spokesman for the disgruntled settlers. He removed Fernández de Enciso from the position of alcalde mayor, using the following legal manoeuvre: de Enciso was now controlling an area in Veragua, to the west of the Gulf of Urabá; since he was substituting for Alonso de Ojeda, his mandate was illegitimate, because the governor of Veragua was Diego de Nicuesa, not de Ojeda; therefore, Fernández de Enciso should be deposed and arrested. After de Enciso's ouster, a more open government was established and a municipal council was elected (the first in the Americas). Two alcaldes ^[2] were appointed: Martín Samudio and Vasco Núñez de Balboa.

Shortly after this, a flotilla led by Rodrigo Enrique de Colmenares arrived in Santa María. A flotilla (from Spanish meaning a flota of small ships and this from French flotte) or naval flotilla, is a formation of small His objective was to find de Nicuesa, who was also facing some difficulties in the north of Panamá. When de Colmenares learned about the recent events, he convinced the town's settlers that they should submit to the authority of de Nicuesa, since their land was under his jurisdiction. Enrique de Colmenares invited two representatives, to be named by the local government, to travel with his flotilla and offer de Nicuesa authority over the city. The two representatives were Diego de Albites and Diego del Corral.

Governor of Veragua

Enrique de Colmenares found de Nicuesa near the town of Nombre de Dios, badly wounded and with few men remaining, on account of a skirmish with local natives. Nombre de Dios ("Name of God " is a city on the Atlantic coast of Panama in the Colon Province. After his rescue, Governor de Nicuesa heard about Balboa's exploits, the chieftain Cémaco's bounty, and Santa María's prosperity. He vowed that he would punish Balboa as soon as he gained control of the city, since he regarded his actions as a challenge to his authority in Veragua.

A certain Lope de Olano, who was jailed together with other malcontents, persuaded Santa María's representatives that they would make a serious error in handing control over to de Nicuesa, whom he described as cruel, greedy, and able to singlehandedly destroy the city's prosperity. With this evidence, de Albites and del Corral fled to Darién ahead of de Nicuesa and informed Balboa and the municipal authorities of the governor's intentions.

When de Nicuesa arrived at the city's port, a mob appeared, and the ensuing disturbance prevented the governor from disembarking into the city. De Nicuesa insisted on being received, no longer as governor, but as a simple soldier, but still the colonists did not allow him to disembark. He and 17 others were forced to board an unseaworthy boat with few supplies, and were put out to sea on March 1, 1511. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant The ship disappeared, leaving no trace of de Nicuesa and his men. In this way, Balboa became governor (gobernador ^[3]) of Veragua.

Conquistador

Balboa setting his dogs upon Indian practitioners of male love ; (1594); New York Public Library

With the title of governor came absolute authority in Santa María and all of Veragua. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. One of Balboa's first acts as governor was the trial of Fernández de Enciso, accused of usurping the governor's authority. De Enciso was sentenced to prison and his possessions were confiscated. However, he was to remain imprisoned only for a short time: Balboa set him free under the condition that he return immediately to Hispaniola and from there to Spain. With him on the same ship were two representatives from Balboa, who were to inform the colonial authorities of the situation, and request more men and supplies to continue the conquest of Veragua.

In the meantime, Balboa showed himself to have a conquistador mentality: he set sail for the west, traveling along Panama's Caribbean coastline, defeating various tribes and befriending others, exploring rivers, mountains, and sickly swamps, while always searching for gold and slaves and enlarging his territory. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another He was also able to quell revolts among those of his men who challenged this authority, and, through force, diplomacy, and negotiation, he earned a certain respect and fear among the natives. In a letter addressed to the King of Spain, he expressed, somewhat ironically, that he had to act as a guide and even open roads by his own hand.

He succeeded in planting corn, received fresh supplies from Hispaniola and Spain, and got his men used to life as explorers in the new territories. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Balboa managed to collect a great deal of gold, much of it from the ornaments worn by the native women, and the rest obtained by violence. In 1513, he wrote a lengthy letter to the King of Spain, requesting more men (who were already acclimatized) from Hispaniola, weapons, supplies, carpenters versed in shipbuilding, and all the necessary materials for the building of a shipyard. Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships These can be Yachts military In a subsequent letter, from 1515, he would refer to his humanitarian policies regarding the natives, while at the same time recommending extreme severity in dealing with cannibals and violent tribes. Cannibalism (from Spanish es ''caníbal'' in connection with cannibalism among the Antillean Caribs, also called anthropophagy (from Greek ἄνθρωπος

At the end of 1512 and the first months of 1513, he arrived in a region dominated by the cacique Careta, whom he easily defeated and then befriended. Careta was baptized and became one of Balboa's chief allies; he ensured the survival of the settlers by promising to supply the Spaniards with food. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Balboa then proceeded on his journey, arriving in the lands of Careta's neighbour and rival, cacique Ponca, who fled to the mountains with his people, leaving his village open to the plundering of the Spaniards and Careta's men. Days later, the expedition arrived in the lands of cacique Comagre, fertile but reportedly dangerous terrain. However, Balboa was received peacefully and even invited to a feast in his honor; Comagre, like Careta, was then baptized.

Núñez de Balboa's travel route to the South Sea, 1513.

It was in Comagre's lands that Balboa first heard of "the other sea. " It started with a squabble among the Spaniards, unsatisfied by the meagre amounts of gold they were being allotted. Comagre's eldest son, Panquiaco, angered by the Spaniards' avarice, knocked over the scales used to measure gold and exclaimed: "If you are so hungry for gold that you leave your lands to cause strife in those of others, I shall show you a province where you can quell this hunger". Panquiaco told them of a kingdom to the south, where people were so rich that they ate and drank from plates and goblets made of gold, but that the conquerors would need at least a thousand men to defeat the tribes living inland and those on the coast of "the other sea".

Discovery of the South Sea

The unexpected news of a new sea, rich in gold, was received by Balboa with great interest. He returned to Santa María at the beginning of 1513 to recruit more men from Hispaniola. It was there that he learned that Fernández de Enciso had told the colonial authorities what had happened at Santa María. After seeing that there would be no assistance from Hispaniola, Balboa sent Enrique de Colmenares directly to Spain to look for help.

While the expedition to the South Sea was being organized in Santa María, some conquistadores travelled ten leagues (around 30 miles) up the Atrato River toward the interior, but came back empty-handed. The Río Atrato is a River of northwestern Colombia. It rises in the slopes of the Western Cordillera and flows almost due north to the Gulf of Balboa's request for men and supplies had been denied: Enciso's case was by then widely known in the Spanish court. The Cortes Generales ( Spanish for General Courts or Cortes Españolas, Spanish Courts) is the Legislature of Spain. Therefore, Balboa had no choice but to carry out his expedition with the few resources that he had on hand in Santa María.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa claiming possession of the South Sea.

Using information given by various friendly caciques, Balboa started his journey across the Isthmus of Panama on September 1, 1513, together with 190 Spaniards, a few native guides, and a pack of dogs. The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Using a small brigantine and ten native canoes, they sailed along the coast and made landfall in cacique Careta's territory. In Sailing, a brigantine is a vessel with two masts only the forward of which is Square rigged Originally the brigantine was a small ship carrying both oars and A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors On September 6, the expedition continued, now reinforced with 1,000 of Careta's men, and entered cacique Ponca's land. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Ponca had reorganized and attacked, but he was defeated and forced to ally himself with Balboa. After a few days, and with several of Ponca's men, the expedition entered the dense jungle on September 20, and, with some difficulty, arrived four days later in the lands of cacique Torecha, who ruled in the village of Cuarecuá. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. In this village, a fierce battle took place, during which Torecha was defeated and killed in battle. His followers decided to join the expedition. However, the group was by then exhausted and several men were badly wounded, so many decided to stay in Cuarecuá to regain their strength.

The few men that continued the journey with Balboa entered the mountain range along the Chucunaque River the next day. According to information from the natives, the South Sea could be seen from the summit of this range. Balboa went ahead and, before noon that day, September 25, he reached the summit and saw, far away in the horizon, the waters of the undiscovered sea. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France The emotions were such that the others eagerly joined in to show their joy at Balboa's discovery. Andrés de Vera, the expedition's chaplain, intoned the Te Deum, while the men erected stone pyramids, and engraved crosses on the barks of trees with their swords, to mark the place where the discovery of the South Sea was made.

Possession and conquest of the South Sea

After the epic moment of discovery, the expedition descended from the mountain range towards the sea, arriving in the lands of cacique Chiapes, who was defeated after a brief battle and invited to join the expedition. From Chiapes' land, three groups departed in the search for routes to the coast. The group headed by Alonso Martín reached the shoreline two days later. They took a canoe for a short reconnaissance trip, thus becoming the first Europeans to navigate the Pacific Ocean. Back in Chiapes' domain, Martín informed Balboa, who, with 26 men, marched towards the coast. Once there, Balboa raised his hands, his sword in one and a standard with the image of the Virgin Mary in the other, walked knee-deep into the ocean, and claimed possession of the new sea and all adjoining lands in the name of the Spanish sovereigns.

After traveling more than 110 kilometers, Balboa named the bay where they ended up San Miguel, because they arrived on September 29, the feast day of the archangel Michael. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The Bay of San Miguel (Golfo de San Miguel is located on the Pacific coast of Darien, a district of eastern Panama. Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an He named the new sea Mar del Sur, since they had traveled south to reach it. This event is considered by historians to be the second most important event of the Spanish conquista, after Columbus' discovery of the Americas in 1492. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America

Balboa's main purpose in the expedition was the search for the gold-rich kingdoms promised by Panquiaco. To this end, he crossed through the lands of caciques Coquera and Tumaco, defeating them easily and taking their riches of gold and pearls. A pearl is a hard roundish object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled Mollusk. He then learned that pearls were abundant in the islands ruled by Terarequí, a powerful and feared cacique. Balboa set out in several canoes towards these islands, even though it was the beginning of October and the weather conditions were not favorable. He was barely able to make out the islands, and named the largest one Isla Rica (Rich Island, today known as Isla del Rey). Isla del Rey may refer to Isla del Rey (Panama Isla del Rey (Chile He named the entire group Archipiélago de las Perlas, which they are still called today. The Pearl Islands (Spanish Archipiélago de las Perlas or Islas de las Perlas) are a group of 100 or more islands (many tiny and uninhabited lying about 30

In November, Balboa decided to return to Santa María but by a different route in order to further expand his territory and procure more gold. He passed through the regions of Teoca, Pacra, Bugue Bugue, Bononaima, and Chorizo, defeating some by force and befriending others through diplomacy. A particularly bloody battle took place against the cacique Tubanamá, whom Balboa eventually defeated. In December, the expedition arrived back in the Caribbean coast, by the Gulf of San Blas, a strip of land ruled by cacique Pocorosa. Kuna Yala is an autonomous territory or comarca in Panama, inhabited by the Kuna indigenous people. From there, he headed to the lands of Comagre, to find that his elderly ally had died. His son, Panquiaco, was now the new chieftain.

From there, he crossed the lands of Ponca and Careta, to finally arrive in Santa María on January 19, 1514, with a treasure in cotton goods, more than 100,000 castellanos worth of gold, to say nothing of the pearls. All this, however, did not compare to the magnitude of the discovery of the South Sea on behalf of Spain. Balboa commanded Pedro de Arbolancha to set sail for Spain with news of this discovery. He also sent one fifth of the treasure to the king, as the law required.

Disputes with Pedro Arias

The accusations of Fernández de Enciso, whom Balboa had deposed, and the removal and disappearance of Governor de Ojeda, forced the king to name Pedro Arias de Ávila as governor of the newly created province of Castilla de Oro. Pedrarias Dávila ( Pedro Arias de Ávila) ( Segovia, Castile, c Castilla de Oro (or del Oro) was the name given by the Spanish settlers at the beginning of the Sixteenth century to the Central American territories Arias, better known as Pedrarias Dávila and who would later become notorious for his cruelty, took control of Veragua and managed to calm the situation. Pedrarias arrived from Arbolancha, Spain with an expedition of 1,500 men and 17 ships, thereby ensuring that Balboa's requests to the crown for more men and supplies were met. This would be to that date the largest and most complete expedition to leave Spain for the New World. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America

Statue of Balboa in Madrid (E. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Pérez, 1954). Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)

Pedrarias was accompanied on this expedition by Gaspar de Espinosa, who held the office of alcalde mayor; the very same Martín Fernández de Enciso whom Balboa had forced into exile, now as Chief Constable (Alguacil Mayor) ^[4]; the royal officer and chronicler Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo; as well as several captains, among them Juan de Ayora, Pedrarias' lieutenant. Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés (August 1478 - 1557 was a Spanish Historian and Writer. There were also several clerics, most notably the Franciscan friar Juan de Quevedo, appointed bishop of Santa María. The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic A Friar is a member of one of the Mendicant orders. Friars and monks Friars differ from Monks in that they are called to a life of poverty in service Juan de Quevedo ( Bejori, c 1450 - Barcelona, December 24, 1519) was a Spanish Franciscan priest and bishop A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight There were also women among the travellers, among them Isabel de Bobadilla, Pedrarias' wife. More than 500 men died from starvation or due to the inclemencies of the weather soon after reaching Darién. Fernández de Oviedo was to note that knights covered in silk and brocade, who distinguished themselves valiantly in the Italian Wars, would die, consumed by hunger and fever, due to the nature of the tropical jungle. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages.

Balboa received Pedrarias and his representatives in July 1514 and accepted resignedly his replacement as governor and mayor. The settlers, however, did not like the change and some were planning to take up arms against Pedrarias, even as Balboa showed respect to the new colonial authorities.

As soon as Pedrarias took charge, Gaspar de Espinosa had Balboa arrested and tried "in absentia", sentencing him to pay reparations to Fernández de Enciso and others. He was, however, found innocent of the charge of murdering de Nicuesa, so he was freed shortly afterwards.

Due to overpopulation in Santa María, Pedrarias called on several expeditionaries to search for new locations fit for settlement. Balboa requested of Pedrarias that he be allowed to explore the Dabaibe region, along the Atrato river, for there was a rumour of the existence of a temple filled with vast riches there. Atrato is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department near the Pacific Ocean, Colombia. However, this expedition turned out to be a failure, leaving Balboa wounded due to constant attacks by the region's natives.

This setback, however, did not deter Balboa's ambitions of returning to explore the South Sea. Secretly, he arranged to recruit a contingent of men from Cuba. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la The ship carrying them berthed just outside Santa María, and its caretaker informed Balboa of their arrival, receiving in return 70 gold castellanos. Pedrarias, however, soon found out about the ship; furious, he had Balboa arrested, took away all his men and was planning to lock him up in a wooden cage. He was held back from doing this by Bishop de Quevedo, who appealed to him not to abuse his power on Balboa.

Luckily for Balboa, around that time the Spanish Crown would finally recognize his valuable services. The king bestowed on him the titles of "Adelantado^[5] of the South Seas" and "Gobernador of Panama and Coiba". Adelantado was a military title held by some Spanish Conquistadors of the 15th 16th and 17th centuries Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Coiba is the largest island in Central America, off the Pacific coast of the Panamanian province of Veraguas. On top of this, the King instructed Pedrarias to show Balboa the greatest respect and to consult him on all matters pertaining the conquest and government of Castilla de Oro. Because of all this, Pedrarias was to release and exonerate Balboa, lifting all charges brought up against him in the matter of the clandestine recruitment of an expeditionary party.

Downfall and death

At that point, rivalry between Balboa and Pedrarias ceased abruptly, due in large part to the intercession of Bishop de Quevedo and Isabel de Bobadilla, who arranged for Balboa's marriage to María de Peñalosa, one of Pedrarias' daughters, who was in Spain. The marriage took place, and shortly thereafter, the bishop left for Spain. The friendship between Pedrarias and Balboa lasted barely two years, but in that time Balboa came to show great filial affection toward his father-in-law. In Confucian thought filial piety ( is one of the Virtues to be cultivated a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors

Balboa wished to continue exploring the South Sea, but Pedrarias did everything possible to delay his departure. However, in light of the new relationship between them, Pedrarias could not stop him indefinitely, and he finally consented to let Balboa go on his new expedition, giving him license to explore for a year and a half.

So, between 1517 and 1518, Balboa moved to Acla with 300 men and, using the manpower of the natives and African slaves, managed to gather the materials necessary to fashion new ships. Acla was a Spanish colonial town founded by order of the Governor of Castilla de Oro, Pedrarias Dávila, in 1515. He traveled up to the Balsas river, where he had four ships built. He travelled 74 kilometers (46 miles) through the Pacific, surrounding the Pearl Islands and the coasts of Darién, up to Puerto Piñas, so named because of the large amounts of pineapples (piñas) he found there. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States He then returned to Acla, to continue the construction of sturdier ships.

However, on his return, Pedrarias wrote warm letters urging Balboa to meet him as soon as possible. Balboa quickly obeyed. Halfway to Santa María, he encountered a group of soldiers commanded by Francisco Pizarro, who arrested him in the name of the governor and accused him of trying to usurp Pedrarias' power and create a separate government in the South Sea. Francisco Pizarro González 1st Marqués de los Atabillos (c 1471 or 1476 &ndash 26 June 1541 was a Spanish Conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire Outraged, Balboa denied all charges and demanded that he be taken to Spain to stand trial; Pedrarias, however, together with Martin Enciso, ordered that the trial take place without delay.

Balboa's trial began in January 1519, and on the fifteenth of that month, de Espinosa sentenced him to death by decapitation. Decapitation (from Latin, caput, capitis, meaning head or beheading, is the cutting off of the head of a person or animal Four of Balboa's friends, Fernando de Argüello, Luis Botello, Hernán Muñoz, and Andrés Valderrábano, accused as accomplices, were sentenced to the same fate. The sentence was to be carried out in Acla, to show that the conspiracy had its roots in that colony.

As Balboa and his friends were being led to the block, the town crier announced: "This is the justice that the King and his lieutenant Pedro Arias de Ávila impose upon these men, traitors and usurpers of the Crown's territories. " Balboa could not restrain his indignation and replied: "Lies, lies! Never have such crimes held a place in my heart, I have always loyally served the King, with no thought in my mind but to increase his dominions. " Pedrarias observed the execution, hidden behind a platform. The executioner beheaded Balboa and his four friends with an axe. Balboa's head did not come off clean on the first try; it took three. Their heads remained in public display for several days, as a sign of Pedrarias' might.

The final location of Balboa's remains is unknown, partly because there is no record of what happened in Acla after the execution.

Thus, it was Gaspar de Espinosa, Pedrarias' underling, who sailed the South Sea aboard the very ships that Balboa had commissioned. In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan renamed the sea the Pacific Ocean because of its calm waters. Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ dɨ mɐgɐˈʎɐ̃ĩʃ Fernando de Magallanes (Spring 1480 &ndash April 27 1521 Mactan Island, Cebu The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions

Monument of Vasco Núñez de Balboa in Panama City. Panama City (Ciudad de Panamá is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama.

Legacy

Although Balboa suffered a premature death, his actions and deeds are remembered by history. Several parks and avenues throughout Panama bear the name "Vasco Núñez de Balboa," and a number of monuments honor his discovery of the South Sea. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. The Panamanian currency is called the Balboa, and his likeness appears on the obverse of some coins. The balboa is the Currency of Panama. Its ISO 4217 code is PAB. His name is also attached to Panama City's main port, Balboa (the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal) and the Balboa District within Panamá Province to which the Pearl Islands that he discovered belong. Panama City (Ciudad de Panamá is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal in Panama which joins the Panama is a major province of the country of Panama, containing the capital city Panama. The Pearl Islands (Spanish Archipiélago de las Perlas or Islas de las Perlas) are a group of 100 or more islands (many tiny and uninhabited lying about 30 In San Francisco, California, USA, Balboa's name appears among a row of avenues which are named after Spanish conquistadors. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city There is also large park adjacent to downtown San Diego, California named after Balboa, in which there are many world-class museums. Balboa's name is also honored in Madrid with a street and an underground station. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain.

The highest order granted by the Panamanian government to distinguished and outstanding figures, foreign and domestic, is the Orden Vasco Núñez de Balboa, in various degrees, as established by Law 27 from 28 January 1933. An Order is a Decoration, awarded by a government a dynastic house, or a religious body to an individual usually for distinguished service to a nation or to humanity

The lunar crater Balboa was named after him. This is a list of craters on the Moon. The large majority of these features are Impact craters The crater nomenclature is governed by the International

References

• Asenjo García, Frutos (11/1991). Vasco Núñez de Balboa: El descubrimiento del Mar del Sur. Madrid: Sílex Ediciones. ISBN 84-7737-034-6.  
• Garrison, Omar V. (01/1977). Balboa el conquistador: La odisea de Vasco Núñez, descubridor del Pacífico. Barcelona: Editorial Grijalbo. ISBN 84-253-0748-1.  
• (Online book)Historia General de las Indias. Chapters LVII to LXVI. Francisco López de Gómara. Medina del Campo, 1553; Zaragoza, 1555
• (PDF format )Compendio de Historia de Panamá . pp. 156 - 171. Juan B. Sosa y Enrique J. Arce. Panamá, October, 1911
• Encyclopedia Ilustrada Cumbre - Tomo 10. pp. 186 - 188. 32nd edition - 1993. Editorial Hachette Latinoamérica, S. A. de C. V. , México. ISBN 970-611-125-5
• Historia general y natural de las Indias. Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés. Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés (August 1478 - 1557 was a Spanish Historian and Writer. Madrid, 1850
• Relación de los sucesos de Pedrarias Dávila. Pascual de Andagoya. Pascual de Andagoya (1495-1548 was a Spanish Basque Conquistador. III. Madrid, 1829
• Discoverers Web: Balboa
• This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of 14 April 2006. Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475&ndash January 15, 1519 was a Spanish Explorer, Governor, and Conquistador. It was translated by the Spanish Translation of the Week collaboration.

Notes

External links

• His life with various illustrations
• (Spanish) Biography of Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) Biography of Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) Discoverers from Jerez: Vasco Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) Vasco Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) Biography of Vasco Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) Founding of Santa María la Antigua del Darién
• (Spanish) Vasco Núñez de Balboa and the discovery of the South Sea
• (Spanish) Death of Vasco Núñez de Balboa
• (Spanish) The Balboa monument