VASCO NÚÑEZ DE BALBOA: BIOGRAPHY AND DISCOVERIES - HISTORY - 2025

Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer and conqueror, known for being the first European to spot and claim the eastern coast of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, it established the first permanent settlement on the American continent.

His childhood coincided with the time of the expulsion of the Moors from Spanish territory. He was also around seventeen years old when Columbus made his first trip to the New World. Thus, young Núñez de Balboa grew up wanting to participate in adventure, treasure hunts, honor, and glory.

In the opinion of many historians, Balboa was the best of the conquerors in many ways. He was a strong and courageous leader who treated his men and native peoples with respect. Some even claim that if the Spanish colonizers had acted like him, the history of the empire in the New World could have been very different.

For example, contrary to what many of his companions did, Balboa obtained valuable information from the natives. These gave him very important data on roads, neighboring tribes and the characteristics of the surrounding lands. Later, all the information he could gather proved invaluable in achieving his goals.

Biography

Early years

Not much is known about the exact date of birth or the first years of life of Vasco Núñez de Balboa in Spain. However, most historians place the year of his birth around 1475. It is known that he was the third of four children and that his mother was a lady from Badajoz in southwestern Spain.

As for the place where he was born, Jerez de los Caballeros, a small town near the border with Portugal, is generally mentioned. His father was Don Nuño Arias de Balboa, an impoverished Spanish nobleman. As a child he entered the home of a noble knight from Moguer as a servant, and there he was educated in letters, manners and weapons.

Youth

Young Balboa spent much of his youth on the docks of Moguer listening to the stories told by sailors who had just arrived from the New World. Some of them had even sailed with Columbus on his travels.

In this way, the stories they told about the riches and mysterious lands discovered fed Balboa's imagination and his longing for adventure. Then, at the age of 26, Vasco Núñez de Balboa had the opportunity to undertake the journey that would be the beginning of his adventurous life.

In the year 1500, the Kings of Spain granted Don Rodrigo de Bastidas a license for navigation and exploration. Thanks to this license, this wealthy official was authorized to explore the north coast of what is now South America.

Balboa was one of several young locals who applied for and were accepted for the trip. Due to his inexperience in navigation, he was not a member of the crew but served as a squire. This position was the one occupied by those in charge of fighting to defend the expedition from hostile natives.

Trip to the new world

During the next 4 months, Balboa traveled the Venezuelan coast, the Panamanian Atlantic and the Colombian Atlantic. Maintaining a constant navigation, the expedition sailed stopping at native villages. There, the Spaniards exchanged trinkets and knives for valuable pearls that the Indians extracted from the sea.

However, this expedition had to end abruptly. They discovered that the ships were contaminated with Joke (Teredo navalis), a mollusk that feeds on wood. Consequently, all the frames (wooden boards) of the ship's hulls were on the verge of collapse.

Faced with the risk of the ships sinking, the expedition left for Hispaniola to be repaired. However, they capsized before arriving and the crew had to jump into the water and swim to the island. They rescued only the pearls and a few other little things that they were able to carry.

With his share of the pearl loot, Vasco Núñez de Balboa acquired land and slaves on the island. For a time, he dedicated himself to agriculture and pig farming. His handling of the business was not the most adequate. He got into debt and was held in Hispaniola by his creditors. So, he stowed away on a ship to escape the island.

Adventures

After his flight from Hispaniola, a series of expeditions took Vasco Núñez de Balboa to different parts of the New World. His journey began when he stowed away on a ship bound for Terra Firme (the Atlantic coast of Colombia and Panama).

Over time, Núñez de Balboa came to have northern control of the entire area bordering the Gulf of Darien. From that position, he began the construction of ships for these expeditions. The native Indians transported the necessary materials through the mountains to the Pacific coast.

In the course of his life, he fought numerous battles with hostile indigenous tribes and subdued them all (some by arms and others by negotiation). Its stellar moment occurred from a mound located at the site known as Cerro Gigante. From there he contemplated in silence the majesty of the sea that stretched out at his feet and that he called the South Sea.

Last days and death

After the discovery of the South Sea, Balboa maintained a tireless expeditionary pace. This incessant activity very often kept him from his political obligations. This was used by his adversaries to make him look bad before the King of Spain.

In 1514, Spain sent a replacement for the position of governor held by Balboa. The envoy was Pedro Arias de Ávila, who upon his arrival could see that the Darien colony was very prosperous. The new governor immediately ordered an administrative investigation.

In the course of the investigations and due to many of the testimonies of political enemies, Balboa was accused of treason and conspiracy against the King of Spain. This resulted in a death sentence. The execution took place on an unknown day of the week elapsed between January 13 and 21, 1519.

Discoveries

The Bastidas expedition

Rodrigo de Bastidas

With this name the expedition organized in 1500 by the notary public Rodrigo de Bastidas and the cartographer Juan de la Cosa was known. Vasco Núñez de Balboa joined it as a squire. The expedition left Cádiz around March 1501 and reached La Guajira (Colombia), from where it slowly sailed west.

On this trip, the expedition members discovered the current Colombian Atlantic coast and then the Panamanian Atlantic coast from the Gulf of Urabá to an unknown point (historians presume that it could be Punta Manzanillo), located about 150 miles from Darién.

Due to problems with the boats, the expedition members were forced to line their bows towards the island known as Hispaniola. There they were received by the governor Fray Nicolás de Ovando, who gave Balboa some land. Balboa decided to stay in Hispaniola for a while trying his luck with agricultural activities.

Also, during his stay on the island he was carrying out some missions for Governor Ovando. Among them, he participated in the campaign to reduce some pockets of indigenous resistance that still persisted in Hispaniola.

Enciso Expedition

Martín Fernández de Enciso was a Spanish navigator and geographer who organized an expedition in 1510 to bring supplies to the also Spanish conqueror, Alonso de Ojeda. The latter, along with Diego de Nicuesa, had received permission from the kings of Spain to explore and colonize the Coast of the Pearl Islands (Gulf of Panama).

Precisely, Balboa embarked on one of the ships of this expedition from Hispaniola to continue his adventurous life. Upon landing, they found the settlement known as San Sebastián de Urabá (Colombian north coast) completely destroyed by the attack of the indigenous people.

This town had been founded by Alonso de Ojeda on a previous trip in the gulf of the same name. It was a site described by historians as highly unhealthy due to its environmental conditions. It was also a site under constant siege by indigenous tribes in the area.

Faced with the discovery, at the suggestion of Balboa, the Spaniards headed for one of the yet unexplored shores of the Gulf of Urabá. They entered into combat with one of the chiefs of the area, the chief Cémaco, whom they defeated. Later, they explored the area and founded a village that replaced the one they found destroyed.

Day against the cave Indians

In early May 1511, Governor Balboa led 130 men to begin a campaign against the Cave Indians. This expedition was organized by information received from the wealth of these natives. Vasco Núñez Balboa had the help of his ally, the chief Cémaco.

From his actions against these Indians, the legend arose of a powerful white lord of extraordinary gifts whom everyone admired and to whom they submitted. The legend was maintained for several years, decisively helping to make the conquest less bloody than usual.

On this trip and thanks to the indigenous stories, Vasco Núñez de Balboa learned of the existence of a land rich in gold located 6 days from his position. These lands were located to the south en route to "the other sea." This news astonished him to such a degree that he began to schedule an expedition to verify the story.

Expedition to "the other sea"

In mid-August 1513, with a contingent of 190 men, Núñez de Balboa decided to start the journey in search of the lands mentioned in the stories of the indigenous people. For 10 days they fought against the climatic conditions of the jungle and the natives. The first sighting occurred on September 25, 1513 from a peak.

Three days later, the date of the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, the Spanish captain decided to take possession of the sea on behalf of the kings of Spain. As part of the ceremonial act, Balboa stood in the shallow water, raised his sword, and claimed all the sea and nearby lands for Spain.

The Spanish christened the vast ocean the Sea of ​​the South. The chronicles of the time assume that such name was due to the fact that this sea was located south of the isthmus of Panama. Later, they renamed it the Pacific Ocean.

Eventually reports of Balboa's discoveries reached Spain. Balboa was appointed governor of the provinces of Mar del Sur and Panama and Coiba. With this new designation, Balboa planned immediate future explorations. He hoped to travel to Peru, home of the Incas. Several political intrigues prevented him from completing this project.

Founded cities and other contributions

Participation in the foundation of Salvatierra de Sabana

In the course of the Bastidas expedition, Vasco Núñez de Balboa participated as a soldier. The result was the founding of the town of Salvatierra de Sabana, currently Les Cayes, Haiti. As a reward for his performance in this conquest, Balboa received a division of Indians..

Foundation of the Villa de Santa María la Antigua del Darién

Around the year 1510, during Enciso's expedition, the Villa de Santa María la Antigua del Darién was founded. This was the first stable city founded in America. Initially, this town was built under the name of La Guardia but, at Balboa's suggestion, it changed its name.

Balboa ruled Santa Maria la Antigua de Darién from 1510 to 1514. His government was characterized by being progressive, with measured use of violence and continuous expansion due to the accession of new territories. Compared to other conquerors who showed great toughness, Balboa showed kindness to the natives.

Later, by royal resolution of December 23, 1511, the entire area of ​​the Gulf of Urabá came under the jurisdiction of Balboa. By virtue of this royal charter, the entire Atlantic coast of present-day Panama and Colombia came under the political control of Vasco Núñez de Balboa.

This appointment resulted in the development of Santa María. Towards the month of August 1511, Balboa decided to organize the town. The streets were laid out and the construction of the houses began. By September, corn was already being planted in the nearby lands and the city began to grow rapidly.

Alliances with indigenous

Balboa added many allies among the indigenous tribes. In his campaign against the cave Indians, for example, he managed to ally himself with the tribes of Cacique Careta (caves), Cacique Comogre and Cacique Ponca. Careta and Comogre were baptized assuming the names of Fernando and Carlos, respectively.

From this day on, one of his greatest achievements began to take shape. Balboa got all the tribes of the trans-isthmic zone between Santa Maria, Cueva and the Gulf of San Miguel, to agree to cooperate with the Spanish. This guaranteed the prosperity of the Spanish colony nestled in the Gulf of Darien.

References

1. Keen, B. (2017, March 03). Vasco Nunez de Balboa. Taken from britannica.com.
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3. Quintana, MJ (1832). Lives of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, and Francisco Pizarro. London: W. Blackwood.
4. Madueño Galán, JM (s / f). Darién, Vasco Núñez de Balboa and the discovery of the South Sea. Taken from armada.mde.es.
5. Petrie, K. (2007). Vasco Nunez de Balboa. Minnesota: ABDO.
6. Markham, C. (1913). Vasco Nunez de Balboa. London: The Geographical Journal.