Juan Ponce de Leon

Born

Jan 1, 1474

Juan Ponce de Leon wass born in Santervás de Campos, Spain, in 1474.

Sails The Seas As A Privateer

Jan 1, 1490

Ponce de Leon sailed the seas as a privateer, attacking ships that belonged to the Moors.

Travels To The Americas With Columbus

Sep 25, 1493

On Columbus's second voyage, Ponce de Leon went with him and about 1500 other men on 16 ships from Cadiz, to explore the Americas.

Juan Ponce de Leon Explores Hispanola

Oct 1, 1493

Ponce de Leon explores Hispaniola (Jamaica) with Columbus and his men, and encounters the hostile Carib and Arawak native Indians.

Juan Ponce de Leon Assists In Settling Haiti

Mar 1, 1494

Ponce de Leon, alongside Columbus, establishes a Spanish settlement in Haiti and searches for gold.

Columbus Returns To Spain, Leaving Ponce de Leon Behind

Sep 29, 1494

Christopher Columbus returns to Spain but Juan Ponce de Leon stays in Santo Domingo (now called the Dominican Republic).

Juan Ponce de Leon is made governor of eastern Hispanola

Jan 1, 1502

In 1502 Poncede Leon was rewarded by Nicolás de Ovando, governor of Hispaniola, for suppressing an Indian mutiny, Ponce de León was named to be the governor of eastern Hispaniola.

Ponce de Leon Settled Caparra

Jan 1, 1508

Ponce de Leon founded the first settlement in Puerto Rico, Caparra (later relocated to San Juan). He did this using only a few troops and one greyhound that was used to scared the natives.

Ponce de Leon Is Allowed To Pepople Bimini

Feb 23, 1512

Charles V grants Juan Ponce de Leon a patent authorizing him to people the Island of Bimini (in the Bahamas).

Ponce de Lweon Leaves Puerto Rico

Mar 3, 1513

Ponce sets out from (Puerto Rico) with three ships, paid for himself.

Pone de Leon Reaches San Salvador

Mar 14, 1513

Ponce de Leon reaches Guanahani, San Salvador, where Christopher Columbus first sighted land.

Ponce de Leon Gets Near Florida

Mar 27, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon comes within sight of the east coast of Florida.

Jaun Ponce de Leon Claimed Florida

Apr 2, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon took possession of the land he found, which he named "Pascua de Florida", or "Feast of Flowers", because they spotted land on Palm Sunday.

Ponce de Leon Searches For The Fountain Of Youth

May 1, 1513

Ponce de Leon scoures the "island" of Florida in search of The Fountain of Youth.

Ponce de Leon sets off to search for the Fountain of Youth

May 1, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon searched for the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, Florida for years, but never discovered it. Some believe that it doesn't exist, and that's why he never found it. Others believe he was searching for gold instead.

Juan Ponce de Leon returnes to Puerto Rico

Aug 1, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon returned to Puerto Rico, returning to land that he had earlier claimed.

Ponce de Leon Is Granted Permission To Settle Florida

Sep 27, 1514

From a friend of his, Pedro Nunez de Guzman, he secured a second grant giving him power to settle the Island of Florida (at this point in time Florida was thought to be just an island).

Ponce de Leon Heads To Florida To Settle Its Land

Jan 1, 1521

Juan Ponce de Leon set out with two ships from Puerto Rico, ready to colonize Florida.

Ponce de Leon Is Attacked

Feb 17, 1521

While building houses Ponce de Leon and his party were attacked by a tribe of the Calusa (on Pine Island). He was hit by a poisoned arrow, and was gravely injured.

Ponce de Leon Dies In Cuba

Feb 18, 1521

Juan Ponce de Leon returned to Havana, Cuba, where he died of his wounds.