Spanish Conquistador, and founder of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. As a young man, son of a rich family in Madrid, six men tried to assassinate him but he was able to defend himself. The fight left him with a disfigured face. He hunted down three of his attackers and killed them before fleeing justice to Santa Marta in Colombia. With royal approval, he invaded the bay of Cartagena and founded the city on 1 June 1533. With the help of "La India Catalina", a Native Indian Princess fluent in both the Spanish and Indian tongues, he set about conquering and ruling the area around Cartagena, including Turbaco and the Magdalena River. He looted Indian graves in the Sinu River area, and his spoils from Galerazamba included a solid gold porcupine weighing 132 pounds. Heredia was once taken prisoner by another conquistador, Sebastian de Belalcazar. Heredia led several expeditions exploring the mountains of Antioquia, and was governor of Cartagena for 22 years. Recalled to Spain to face charges that he had abused his power, he sailed for Spain in 1544, but the ship sank within sight of Cadiz. He tried to swim ashore, but his body was never found.
Spanish Conquistador, and founder of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. As a young man, son of a rich family in Madrid, six men tried to assassinate him but he was able to defend himself. The fight left him with a disfigured face. He hunted down three of his attackers and killed them before fleeing justice to Santa Marta in Colombia. With royal approval, he invaded the bay of Cartagena and founded the city on 1 June 1533. With the help of "La India Catalina", a Native Indian Princess fluent in both the Spanish and Indian tongues, he set about conquering and ruling the area around Cartagena, including Turbaco and the Magdalena River. He looted Indian graves in the Sinu River area, and his spoils from Galerazamba included a solid gold porcupine weighing 132 pounds. Heredia was once taken prisoner by another conquistador, Sebastian de Belalcazar. Heredia led several expeditions exploring the mountains of Antioquia, and was governor of Cartagena for 22 years. Recalled to Spain to face charges that he had abused his power, he sailed for Spain in 1544, but the ship sank within sight of Cadiz. He tried to swim ashore, but his body was never found.
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