Short Biography of the life of Vasco Nunez de Balboa - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
The following biography information provides basic facts about the life Vasco Nunez de Balboa:

• Nationality - Spanish
• Lifespan - 1475 - 1519
• Family - Poor Spanish family
• Education - Uneducated
• Career - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
• Famous as the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from its eastern shore after crossing the Isthmus of Panama overland in 1513

Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Vasco Nunez de Balboa - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
The following are additional facts and a timeline about the life and history of Vasco Nunez de Balboa:

• 1475 Vasco Nunez de Balboa was born in Jerez de los Caballeros in Estremadura, Spain
• 1500 Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed with Rodrigo de Bastidas from Spain to explore Colombia, South America
• 1500 Balboa settled on the island of Hispaniola hoping to make a living as a farmer
• 1510 Vasco Nunez de Balboa, and his dog Leoncico, stowed away on a boat going from Santo Domingo to San Sebastian in Columbia after his attempts at farming had produced debts. The expedition was headed by Nicuesa and Enciso who was second in command. Vasco Nunez de Balboa had the position of a Spanish soldier
• 1510 Reaching San Sebastian the explorers discovered that it had been burned to the ground. Balboa persuaded his companions and Nicuesa and Enciso to continue their voyage towards the southwest. Balboa had visited this land from his previous voyage
• 1511 Nicuesa founded the town of Santa Maria de la Antigua del Darien which was the first European settlement in South America
• 1511 There were power struggles between Nicuesa and Enciso. Nicuesa was deported from the settlement. Vasco Nunez de Balboa then charged Enciso with usurpation and Enciso was forced to leave the colony
• 1511 The king of Spain then appointed Balboa as the interim governor
• 1512 Vasco Nunez de Balboa married the daughter of Careta, the local Indian chief
• 1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa was appointed supreme commander of the colony but Encisco levelled charges of usurpation against Balboa
• 1513 September 1: Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed with hundreds of Spaniards and Indians across the Gulf of Uraba to the Darien Peninsula. The famous explorer Francisco Pizarro , who later conquered the Incas of Peru, was in his party
• 1513 Balboa and his party explored overland through dense rainforests in a west direction
• 1513 September 27: Vasco Nunez de Balboa was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from a peak in Darien, Panama - he had climbed the peak alone
• 1513 September Balboa travelled to the ocean and claimed it and all the land that touched it for Spain
• 1513 October Vasco Nunez de Balboa spent a month natives along the Pacific coast, he found a fortune in gold, pearls and slaves and then returned to Antigua
• 1513: Meanwhile Balboa had been charged with treason against Spain
• 1514: A new governor named Pedrarias Davila had been appointed. Balboa was initially acquitted of all charges by Pedrarias Davila
• 1516 Vasco Nunez de Balboa gained in popularity over Pedrarias Davila and to make matters worse between them Balboa became betrothed to Pedrarias Davila's daughter and eventually married her
• 1517/18 Vasco Nunez de Balboa continued his explorations leaving Pedrarias Davila to plot against him
• 1519 Balboa the title of Adelantado of the South Sea, Governor of Panama but was then arrested for treason
• 1519 Vasco Nunez de Balboa was found guilty and this great man was publicly beheaded in Darien in January, 1519