Perhaps one of the most fascinating parts of Florida’s history is that of its discovery by a Spanish conquistador named Juan Ponce de León. The story begins that after departing from the port of San Germán in Puerto Rico in March 1513 and passing through the Bahamas, Juan Ponce de León and his men came across what they thought was a mysterious island with an abundance of many flowers and trees on the 27th and they anchored there on April 2, 1513. He claimed the new land in the name of King Ferdinand II of Aragón and named the land “La Florida” not only for its abundance of flowers but also because it was discovered during the Easter season when the Spanish celebrated a flower festival called “Pascua Florida”. The exact spot of his landing is unknown but it is speculated to have been either near the city of St. Augustine, at Ponce de León Inlet harbor and maybe even Melbourne Beach. After passing the Southeast Florida coast on May 8th and crossing the Florida Keys, which they named Los Martires, on May 15th, they eventually reached the Florida gulf coast on May 23, 1513 and anchored the very next day likely in the vicinity of what is today Punta Rassa in the San Carlos Bay.
During their time there, a series of Calusa Indians riding canoes began making multiple visits and began to trade with the newcomers. On June 4th, a canoe arrived with a mysterious Indian man who apparently spoke Spanish, and he told the Spaniards that his Cacique (chief) Carlos was planning to make a visit to trade gold with them and that they should await his arrival. The Spaniards, believing the man, agreed to wait, however, rather than the expected chief arriving, around twenty canoes with armed Calusa warriors had arrived instead and began attacking them. The battle came to an end when an armed Spanish rowboat entered the battle successfully repelling the remaining warriors. One of Ponce de León’s men died in the skirmish, and several Calusa warriors died in the confrontation alongside four others being captured by Ponce de León and his men.
Two of the prisoners were freed with Ponce de León telling them to see their Cacique and to tell him that despite one of their men being killed, they are still willing to make peace with him. The next morning, while one of their boats was sounding the depths of the port, a group of Calusa riding in canoes arrived this time with a message that Carlos was going to arrive the next day to trade with them, and a few moments later, an army of Calusa warriors riding in around 80 canoes surrounded the port resulting in yet another battle. The battle lasted until nighttime, however neither of the warring parties wanted to move closer within striking distance of the other, and therefore, the battle ended in a stand-off with no casualties. The Spanish eventually departed the area on June 14, 1513 and after making a brief stop in Cuba, eventually returned to Puerto Rico in October 1513. Another expedition was authorized by King Ferdinand II of Aragón in September 1514, and following a six-year battle with the Carib Indians, Ponce de León alongside around 200 men and several animals departed from the island of Puerto Rico on February 21, 1521.
Ship pilot Antón de Alaminos eventually recognized the landing from the 1513 expedition and they anchored somewhere in what is likely today the Estero Bay, not too far from their previous battle with the Calusa. Once they landed, they began to erect their new settlement, however not too long after, several armed Calusa warriors showed up and attacked the settlers. In the resulting battle, a Calusa warrior shot Ponce de León in his thigh with an arrow laced with a poisonous sap which mortally wounded him. The settlers ended up retreating the area leaving many of their supplies behind, reaching the city of Havana, Cuba a few days later. In July 1521, not too long after their return, Juan Ponce de Leónhad succumbed to his wounds, which had become infected, and he passed away. There ends the magnificent story of where our beautiful state received its name as well as the tale of the Spanish explorer whose hunger for adventure ultimately ended up costing him his very own life.
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