Ponce de Leon

I want to say sorry for the delay between posts. School has started back up and I have been swamped with homework and studying. I will try my best to post more often.

Ponce de Leon was born in Spain in 1474. Not much is known about his childhood. After Christopher Columbus' voyage to the New World, the Spanish king was interested in sending more men to Spain. Ponce had served in a war, and when that war ended, he wanted to go seek out new opportunities. This led Ponce to become a explorer, or conquistador. His first expedition led him to Hispaniola where he and his men engaged in many wars with the natives. The Spanish men were able to defeat the Taino Indians. As a result of his fighting de Leon was awarded a land grant. He started a farm and grew produce and raised livestock. He also used the Taino Indians to help him on his farm. In 1508 Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain ordered Ponce to capture all the Taino Indians and force them to work in the mines. De Leon later became the provincial governor of Puerto Rico. He consulted with the Taino Indians on many occasions in order to get a better idea of what crops could be grown in these new lands. He also wanted to learn some of the Tainos' farming techniques. Ponce was trying very hard to settle down as a farmer, but his interest in exploration was still there. The Taino Indians had told Ponce of riches in uncharted lands. Ponce was determined to find these lands, as well as the riches that went with them. De Leon made two voyages to try and find this new land. Ponce de Leon was most likely the first explorer to discover what is now the United States. He landed on the coast of what is now Florida, and he actually gave Florida its name. Some people believe that de Leon was searching for the Fountain of Youth, and just found Florida instead. This is nothing more then legend however. His first expedition to Florida was nothing more then a fact finding mission. It was on his second expedition that he was ready to conquer the land. He took two hundred men, fifty horses, and other domesticated animals and farm tools with him. When he and his men got off the ship they were immediately attacked by Calusa braves. De Leon was injured when he was hit with an arrow that was poisoned with the sap of a Manchineel tree. He and his men fled back to Havana, Cuba where Ponce passed away. His desire for glory and riches proved fatal to him.

Above is the tomb of Ponce de Leon in the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Cuba.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond.