Ponce de Leon
Juan Ponce de León (c. 1460 - July, 1521) was a Spanish conquistador. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by apointment of the Spanish Crown. He is known as the first European known to have visited Florida. In this exploration, he was searching for the "Fountain of Youth."
In 1508, Ponce de León founded Caparra (later became San Juan), the first settlement in Puerto Rico. He was greeted with open arms by the Taino Cacique Agueybana. However, under Ponce de Leons governorship, the Tainos soon sufferd great hardships.
On March 27, 1513, Ponce de León sighted North America (specifically Florida) for the first time, mistaking it for another island. Later, on April 2, he landed somewhere on the east coast of the newly discovered land and claimed it for Spain.
Ponce de Leon and his party were attacked by a tribe of Native Americans, and he was injured by a poisoned arrow. After this attack, he returned to Havana, Cuba, where he died.
See also
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