With the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s ‘discovery’ of Florida coming up its likely that we handful of conquistador living history types will find ourselves asked to recreate Ponce’s landing and taking possession of La Florida. The surviving account of the 1513 voyage is pretty brief and the taking of the land even more so.
From the Herrera account- April 2, 1513
“Thinking the land was an island they named it La
Not much to go on there I’m afraid. Looking a couple of decades earlier for the first instance of claiming the land for
Letter of
“The Admiral took the royal standard, and the captains went with two banners of the green cross, which the Admiral took in all the ships as a sign with an F and a Y and a crown over each letter, one on one side of the cross and the other on the other. Having landed they saw trees very green, and much water, and fruits of diverse kinds. The Admiral called to the two captains, and to the others who leaped on shore, and to Rodrigo Escovedo, secretary of the whole fleet, and to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and said that they should bear faithful testimony that he, in presence of all, had taken, as he now took, possession of the said island for the King and for the Queen his Lords, making the declarations that are required, as is now largely set forth in the testimonies which were then made in writing.”[2]
And in the Admiral of the
First Voyage of
“And there I found very many islands filled with people innumerable, and of them all I have taken possession for there highnesses, by proclamation made and with the royal standard unfurled, and no opposition was offered to me.”[3]
In particular interest for PdL reenactment is Columbus’ second voyage which according to Las Casas , Ponce was a member of that expedition, although there isn’t any other evidence to that effect, he presumably would have seen how its done.
Second Voyage of
“There the admiral, with royal standard in his hands, landed, and many men with him, and there took possession for there highnesses in form of law.”[4]
Looking to some later La
Panfilo de Narvaez - 1528
“The next day the Governor hoisted flags in behalf of Your Majesty and took possession of the country in Your Royal name, exhibited his credentials, and was acknowledged as Governor according to Your Majesty's commands. We likewise presented our titles to him, and he complied as they required.”[5]
Hernando
“Tuesday, June 3, the Governor took possession of the country in the name of their Majesties, with all the formalities that are required, and dispatched one of the Indians to persuade and allure the neighbouring chiefs with peace.”[6]
And according to Garcilaso grapes were the motivating factor in claiming La
“The general received the fruit with pleasure, because they were like the grapes of Spain, and because they had not found any either in Mexico or in Peru, so that, judging from this, of the excellence of the soil of Florida, he commanded three hundred men to go and take possession of it in the name of the emperor.”[7]
Pedro Menendez - 1565
“On Saturday, the 8th, the general landed with many banners spread, to the sound of trumpets and salutes of artillery. As I had gone ashore the evening before, I took a cross and went to meet him, singing the hymn Te Deum laudamus. The general marched up to the cross, followed by all who accompanied him, and there they kneeled and embraced the cross. A large number of Indians watched these proceedings and imitated all they saw done. The same day the general took formal possession of the country in the name of his Majesty, and all the captains took the oath of allegiance to him, as their general and governor of the country. When this ceremony was ended, he offered to do everything in his power for them,..”[8]
[1] Juan Ponce de León, King Ferdinand and the Fountain of Youth. Devereux, Anthony Q. The reprint Company, Publishers,
[2] Journal
An Electronic Edition
Christopher Columbus 1451-1506 Bartolome de Las Casas c.1490-1558
Original Source: Christopher Columbus, "Journal of the First Voyage of
http://mith2.umd.edu/eada/html/display.php?docs=columbus_journal.xml&action=show
[3] The Four Voyages of
Jane, Cecil trans. & ed.
[4] Jane, p.24
[5] The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza De Vaca(1542) Translated by Fanny Bandelier (1905)
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/one/cabeza.htm
[6] A NARRATIVE OF DE SOTO'S EXPEDITION BASED ON THE DIARY OF RODRIGO RANJEL
http://anthro.siuc.edu/muller/RRanjel.htm
[7]
An Electronic Edition
Garcilaso de la Vega, el Inca 1539-1616
Original Source: Garcilaso Inca de la Vega, "History of the Conquest of Florida." In The History of Hernando
http://mith2.umd.edu/eada/html/display.php?docs=garcilaso_florida.xml
[8] Founding of
An Electronic Edition
Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales 16th Century
Original Source: "The Founding of
http://mith2.umd.edu/eada/html/display.php?docs=lopez_de_mendoza_staugustine.xml&action=show
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