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Juan Ponce de León biography

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Quick Facts

  • NAME: Juan Ponce de León
  • OCCUPATION: Explorer
  • BIRTH DATE: 1460
  • DEATH DATE: 1521
  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Tierra de Campos Palencia, Spain
  • PLACE OF DEATH: Havana, Cuba
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Best Known For

While searching for the mythical fountain of youth, Juan Ponce de León founded the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico and discovered Florida.

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Synopsis

Born in Spain in 1460, Juan Ponce de León led a European expedition to discover the mythical fountain of youth, instead finding the southeast coast of what would become the United States. He gave Florida its name and went on to become the first governor of Puerto Rico.

Early Years

Born into a noble family, Juan Ponce de León became a soldier, fighting in a notable campaign against the Moors in Granada. By various accounts, he began his exploration career as part of Christopher Columbus' second expedition to the New World (1493), after the war with the Moors ended.

Hispaniola and Puerto Rico

Years later, after suppressing an Indian uprising in Hispaniola (comprising modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Ponce de León was named the provincial governor of the eastern part of the country.

Hearing persistent reports of gold to be found on nearby Puerto Rico, in 1508 Ponce de León was officially sent by the Spanish crown to explore the island (there are account of him unofficially exploring it up to two years earlier on his own). He took 50 soldiers with him on a single ship and explored the island, settling near what is now San Juan. A year later, he returned to Hispaniola, having found much gold but running short on supplies, and was named governor of Puerto Rico.

The expedition was seen as a great success, and Ponce de León was instructed to continue the settlement of the island and step up his gold-mining efforts. So he returned to Puerto Rico, this time bringing his wife and children along.

Return to Florida and Death

Accounts of the battle that ensued after his arrival are spotty, but in 1521, Ponce de León sailed again for Florida with two ships and 200 men, intent on settling the land. This time, though, he was wounded by an arrow during an Indian attack, after which he and his colonists sailed to Cuba, where he soon died of the wound.

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