Ponce de Leon

Birth

Sep 3, 1474

Juan Ponce de Leon was born in 1474

Baptized

Sep 28, 1474

Baptized in Catholic Church in Santervás De Campos, Valladolid Province, Spain

Joined Columbus' second voyage

Aug 5, 1493

At age 19, joined Columbus' second voyage to the Indies

Governor of the Dominican Republic

Aug 4, 1496

Served as the Governor of the Dominican Republic

The death of his wife

Aug 1, 1506

At age 32, after the untimely death of his wife, Ponce de Leon spent the next seven years raising his motherless children

Governor of Puerto Rico

Jun 17, 1509

At age 35, confirmed as Governor of Puerto Rico

Seek and claim the mysterious "Island of Beniny"

Oct 1, 1512

At age 38, was issued an official charter by the Spanish Crown to seek and claim the mysterious "island of Beniny", to the north

Anchored at south of Cape Canaveral, Florida

Mar 30, 1513

Anchored at 28 degrees N. latitude and 80 degrees 29 minutes W. longitude, south of Cape Canaveral, Florida, at Melbourne Beach, Florida..

Exploring more of Florida

Aug 27, 1513

Explored the West Coast of Florida, especially the area around Sanibel Islan

Exploring Florida

Sep 5, 1513

Explored the East Coast of Florida.

The first landing in Florida

Oct 4, 1513

Made landfall and named the land “La Florida”. This was the first landing in Florida

Returning to Puerto Rico

Nov 4, 1513

Returned to Puerto Rico

Preparing for the journey

Nov 22, 1513

Prepared three ships, two caravels, the "Santiago" and the "Santa Maria de la Consolación, and a bergantina, the "San Cristóbal", at his own expense, to undertake the journey.

The governor of Florida

Aug 2, 1514

Spanish King Ferdinand conferred on Ponce de Leon the title of "Adelantado" or governor of the island of La Florida, and authorized him to establish a permanent settlement, but, only after he cleared the islands east and south of Puerto Rico of the threat of the Carib indians.

Returning to Spain

Aug 15, 1514

Ponce de Leon returned to Spain to report on his voyage and to lay claim to the newly discovered island of La Florida.

Establishing permanent settlements

Apr 1, 1521

Ponce de Leon sailed from Puerto Rico in two ships loaded with settlers and gear to establish a permanent settlement and fort on the shores of La Florida. They are believed to have chosen Sanibel Island as the site.

Eliminating the Carib indians

Oct 2, 1521

Ponce de Leon eliminated the threat of the Carib indians in the islands, as instructed by King Ferdinand.

A painful wound

Oct 2, 1521

After many attacks by the Calusa Indians, and after receiving a painful wound, Ponce de Leon abandoned the settlement effort and returned to the safety of Cuba.

The death of an explorer

Oct 2, 1521

Ponce de Leon died from his festered wound in Puerto Principe, Cuba, at the age of 47.