The Fountain of Hooey: Ponce de Leon in Florida
De BISAWiki
It possibly wont come as a surprise to also several folks today understandable that the Spanish Conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon was not, in truth, genuinely looking for a genuine fountain of youth on his explorations in Florida. This myth was most most likely born in the 1560s after Ponces death. The grain of truth that supposedly sits at the center of each and every tall tail could have to do with his metaphorical search for rebirth in obtaining new glories in the New Globe in the kind of resources and wealth. These would definitely be the subsequent greatest point to a new leash on life to the world-weary chancer that took up the process of conquering the Island of Florida. Even without the mystical McGuffin embodied by the Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Leons exploits, explorations and adventures in Florida are worth remembering.
Ponce de Leon was a veteran sailor and soldier of numerous years knowledge when he accompanied Christopher Columbus on his 2nd journey to the New World. He had fought the moors in Granada as a young man, and as such would prove a useful asset to Spains conquest of the Americas in the violent years to come.
Ponce was the 1st European to land on Puerto Rico in 1508. He was made the Governor of Puerto Rico a year later, and his eventual capitol was named following his much more pious namesake, San Juan. Regional Indian tribes like the Tainos would have surely preferred San Juan more than Governor Juan, who speedily enslaved them and forced them to perform in the mines. In a familiar story, the indigenous peoples of Puerto Rico also died in droves from infectious European diseases that they had no natural immunity to.
Politics and legalities care absolutely nothing for the vastness of oceans, and that was correct in Ponces time as effectively. In 1512 Diego Columbus had pressed the Spanish Crown to sign more than the right to govern Puerto Rico as part of an earlier agreement the king had made with his father Christopher. As such Ponce was removed as governor.
Unsurprisingly, Ponce felt cheated. Determined to recover his glory and great name, Ponce equipped 3 ships (at his personal expense) and set sail for the undiscovered countries to the North.
In 1513 Ponce de Leon was probably the 1st European to set foot on what is today known as Florida (or maybe not, as he supposedly met a Floridian Indian who spoke decent Spanish latter that year). The date of the landing was April 2, the Pascua Florida, or Flowery Passover a.k.a. Easter Season. It is from this vacation the region received its name.
Still lusting for glory, Ponce returned to Spain in 1514. There he received a commission to conquer the Caribs of Guadalupe. He attempted this in 1515, but was unsuccessful and returned to Puerto Rico. It would be yet another 6 years prior to he ventured forth again.
In 1521 Ponce was in his 60s, no imply feat for an explorer in the 16th century. If Florida actually did have a fountain of youth, he surely would have completed his greatest to uncover it. With his time to claim a land of his personal speedily running out he tried his luck in Florida when more. It was one time to several. Native Americans attacked his celebration and Ponce received an arrow wound. He created it to Havana, Cuba ahead of he succumbed. Juan Ponce de Leon was entombed in Old San Juan.
