Spanish Explorer. In 1511 he joined an expedition to Darién in what is today Panama as a stowaway. Taking advantage of an insurrection, he took command, founded a colony at Darién, and extended Spanish influence into neighboring areas. On one of these expeditions he climbed a peak and sighted the Pacific Ocean (1513), the first European to do so, and took possession for Spain. The governorship was granted in 1514 to Pedro Arias de Ávila, for whom Balboa undertook many successful expeditions, but after a disagreement in 1519 Balboa was tried for treason against the Spanish crown and was beheaded. There were no records stating what happened to his remains after the execution.
Spanish Explorer. In 1511 he joined an expedition to Darién in what is today Panama as a stowaway. Taking advantage of an insurrection, he took command, founded a colony at Darién, and extended Spanish influence into neighboring areas. On one of these expeditions he climbed a peak and sighted the Pacific Ocean (1513), the first European to do so, and took possession for Spain. The governorship was granted in 1514 to Pedro Arias de Ávila, for whom Balboa undertook many successful expeditions, but after a disagreement in 1519 Balboa was tried for treason against the Spanish crown and was beheaded. There were no records stating what happened to his remains after the execution.
Bio by: Erik Lander
Advertisement
See more Núñez de Balboa memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
