Nunez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer who was born in Spain in 1475. Balboa was a bankrupt nobleman who needed to escape form creditors due to his bankruptcy. He escaped on a voyage to Hispaniola aboard a ship being commanded by Martin Fernandez do Enciso. Together they founded a town they called Santa Maria de la Antigua de Darien. Eventually Balboa and Enciso had their differences and the colony was split between the two. Balboa no longer saw his allegiance with Enciso and decided to explore the country. During his exploration, Balboa gained the trust of the natives by treating them fairly unlike Enciso who outcast them. In time, Balboa heard of a southern sea and a land with gold. He set off to find this sea and eventually found it on September 25, 1513. He named it the “Mar del Sur”. After a short exploration of the area, he set home for Antigua and reached it in January 1514.
Upon his return, there was a new governor residing in Antigua, Pedrarias. The King of Spain heard of Balboa’s great discovery and decided to fund him to explore the “southern sea”. He also granted him the title of governor of Panama and Coyba. After holding Balboas funding for a small amount of time, Pedrarias allowed Balboa to begin his voyage and also promised him his daughter in marriage. During the expedition, Balboa heard a rumor that Pedrarias had been suspended and sent his friend Garabito to investigate the rumor. Learning that the rumor was false, Garabito told Pedrarias that Balboa would not marry his daughter. Infuriated, Pedrarias had Balboa and four other companions executed on counts of treason.
Although Balboa came over with nothing, he discovered the Pacific Ocean and incidentally was executed for a simple misunderstanding. Had Balboa not been executed what other findings might he have discovered?
Info found at http://virtualology.com/hallofexplorers/VASCONUNEZDEBALBOA.COM/
No comments:
Post a Comment