Ponce de León, Juan (c. 1460-1521)

Spanish soldier and explorer. He is believed to have sailed to the Americas with Christopher Columbus in 1493, and served in Hispaniola 1502-04. He conquered Puerto Rico in 1508, and was made governor in 1509. In 1513 he was the first European to reach Florida.

He explored much of the east coast and part of the west coast of Florida (which he thought was an island). In 1514 he returned to Spain to report his ‘discovery’ and was given permission by King Ferdinand to colonize it. He returned to Florida in 1521 but suffered an arrow wound during a battle with Indians and died in Cuba soon afterwards.