Pánfilo de Narváez (born with Valladolid or Tudela de Duero (Spain) in 1470 - died in Florida in 1528) is a Spanish Conquistador known to have led two forwardings, the first in 1520 against Hernán the Cortes, then the second, dramatic, in Florida in 1527.

Its beginnings

Pánfilo de Narváez is a Spanish hidalgo which leaves to make fortune in the Nouveau World. It takes part in the conquest of Hispaniola and of the Jamaica then Diego Velázquez in the conquest of Cuba in 1511 assists. In 1514, it is installed in Vera Paz (Hispaniola) then in San Salvador (Cuba).

In 1515, it is named prosecutor by Diego Velázquez, the governor of Cuba, which charges it with defending its interests near the Spanish crown, in particular for obtaining titles on the News-Spain. After a return ticket in Spain, it turns over to Cuba with a letter of royal introduction out of pocket. He marries María de Valenzuela and has a son, Diego de Narváez.

Forwarding against the Cortes in Mexico

Vis-a-vis the success of the forwarding of Hernán the Cortes in Mexico, crossbred on a point of treason against Diego Velázquez, this last decides to take its revenge. Pánfilo de Narváez is promoted captain and receives the responsibility for a forwarding in Mexico with the multiple objectives: to stop the Cortes and to send it to Cuba then to colonize the Mexico. For that, it has rather important forces: a score of ships, a hundred riders, between 600 and 800 infantrymen (including 80 to 90 escopettiers and 100 to 120 principal rafters) and between 12 and 20 guns.

In April 1520, it arrives at the island of the Sacrifices then unloads in San Juan de Ulúa. It creates the town of San Salvador to about fifteen miles of Vera Cruz. It sends two emissary to meet Gonzalo de Sandoval, mayor of Vera Cruz and captain of the Cortes. Sandoval makes stop the two men and dispatches them in the Cortes with Tenochtitlan. During this time, Pánfilo de Narváez settles with Cempoala. It receives there the envoys of the Cortes, Bartolomé de Olmedo and Juan Velázquez de León, but more especially the envoys of Moctezuma II which offer present to him, by hoping that it will contribute to the release of the Aztec emperor. It especially tries to weaken the Cortes by explaining to Aztec why he is a traitor with king d' Espagne. It puts even its head at price.

The Cortes must react, and it attacks Narváez. During engagements, Pánfilo de Narváez loses 11 men (against 2 in the camp of the Cortes) but also an eye. It is arrested and imprisoned with Vera Cruz where there remain 4 years. Bernal Díaz del Castillo describes it thus to us It appeared to be approximately 42 years old; it was of high size, strongly member, of a lengthened face, beard fair and of pleasant aspect. Its words and its voice were hollow and deep, like outgoing of an underground. It rode well a horse and one said it courageous (...) Though rich, one said it very petty. It lost an eye in its rout. It was accustomed to being expressed in a manner sensée.

Released by the Cortes, Narváez goes to Tenochtitlan then returns to Cuba to the end of the year 1523. It leaves in Spain in 1525 to denounce the intrigues of the Cortes and to receive titles.

Dramatic forwarding in Florida

From now on promoted Gouverneur and general captain of the río of Las Palmas and the Florida, it prepares a forwarding towards grounds which belong to him, but that it must above all discover and colonize. It prepares its forwarding, strong of 5 ships and 600 soldiers, which leaves Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Spain) on June 17th 1527. Among the members of forwarding, one finds Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca general and large treasurer Alguazil , but also author of the relation of voyage which enables us to know the fate of the forwarding of Pánfilo de Narváez.

After the departure of Spain, forwarding stops with Hispaniola and Cuba to fill the tank with vivres in particular. A hundred men benefits from it to desert. A few days later, the coasts of the Florida appear. Pánfilo de Narváez then takes possession of these grounds in the name of the king of Spain. However, the places are not very accessible. Pánfilo de Narváez then decides to leave the littoral to penetrate in the grounds and to discover them. He is opposed in that to Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca which sees of a very evil eye the abandonment of the ships on the coast.

Despite everything, the discovery of the grounds starts. Very quickly, the Conquistadors meet Indians, most of the time hostile. The living conditions of forwarding are degraded quickly because of the bad weather and the lack of food. Forwarding turns to the nightmare, the men die the ones after the others, of hunger, disease, exhaustion, drowning. Only three members of the forwarding survive the final one, of which Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca which crosses the American continent of the Florida until the California. Pánfilo de Narváez, for its part, is killed in 1528 during a fixing with the Indians.

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