Vasco Núñez de Balboa Written and Illustrated by Phillip Martin

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Vasco Núñez de Balboa was born approximately 1475 in Spain. He was from a noble family and was well educated.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa When Balboa learned about the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus, he wanted to set out to explore it. In 1501, Balboa joined and expedition headed for the northern coast of South America.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa After exploring around Colombia, the boat continued on to Hispanola (present day Haiti and the Dominican Republic) in 1505. Balboa tried his hand with pigs and farming. He gave up in failure in 1509.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa In 1510, Balboa and his dog Leoncico hid inside a barrel of a boat leaving Santo Domingo. Balboa fled his debts and hoped for a better life in San Sebastian, Colombia. That wasn’t going to happen. When they arrived in Colombia, San Sebastian had been burned to the ground.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Balboa suggested that the boat continue a little more west to a spot he had seen before. In 1511, they founded Santa Maria de la Antigua de Darién, the first permanent European settlement in South America.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Eventually, Balboa became the interim governor of Darién. He kept busy stealing gold and riches, harshly treating the local inhabitants and further exploring. In 1513, along with 190 Spaniards, Balboa crossed the isthmus of Panama. He was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World, and promptly claimed all its shores for Spain.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa You might think that Balboa would live “happily ever after” with this discovery. Not so. In 1514, King Ferdinand II appointed a new governor, and the very powerful Pedrarias didn’t trust or like Balboa.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Pedrarias had Balboa arrested and tried for several crimes including high treason in 1519. If the trial was unbiased and fair, Balboa and his four friends would not have been convicted. But, they were framed! Balboa and his friends were condemned to death and then publicly beheaded.

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