Castilla de Oro
Encyclopedia
Castilla de Oro was the name given by the Spanish settlers at the beginning of the 16th century to the Central America
n territories from the Gulf of Urabá
, near today's Colombia
n-Panama
nian border, to the Belén River. Beyond that river, the region was known as Veragua
, and was disputed by the Spanish crown and the Columbus
family. The name "Castilla de Oro" was made official in May 1513 by King Ferdinand II the Catholic
, then regent of the Crown of Castile
.
After Vasco Núñez de Balboa
's discovery of the Pacific Ocean
, Castilla de Oro's jurisdiction was broadened to include the Pacific coasts of Panama, Costa Rica
, and Nicaragua
.
With the creation, in 1527, of the Province of Nicaragua, which included today's Nicaragua as well as the Nicoya Peninsula
, Castilla de Oro's jurisdiction was reduced. In 1537, once the conflict between the crown and the Columbus family was settled, Castilla de Oro was split up, divided by the Duchy of Veragua
.
The western portion, which comprised most of Panama's and Costa Rica's Pacific coasts, was merged in 1540 with Royal Veragua
, to create the Province of Nuevo Cartago y Costa Rica
.
The eastern part, the last remnant of Castilla de Oro, in time became known as the Realm of Tierra Firme, or Panamá, especially after the creation of the Royal Academy of Panamá in 1538. In 1560, the new Province of Veragua, created by Philip II
out of the now defunct Duchy of Veragua, was merged with Castilla de Oro.
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n territories from the Gulf of Urabá
Gulf of Urabá
The Gulf of Urabá is a gulf on the northern coast of South America. It is part of the Caribbean Sea. It is a long narrow inlet in the coast of Colombia, close to the connection of the continent to the Isthmus of Panama. The town of Turbo lies at the southern end of the Gulf...
, near today's Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n-Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian border, to the Belén River. Beyond that river, the region was known as Veragua
Veragua
Veragua or Veraguas was the name of five territorial entities in Central America, beginning in the sixteenth century during the Spanish colonial period...
, and was disputed by the Spanish crown and the Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
family. The name "Castilla de Oro" was made official in May 1513 by King Ferdinand II the Catholic
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
, then regent of the Crown of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
.
After Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.He traveled to the New World in...
's discovery of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, Castilla de Oro's jurisdiction was broadened to include the Pacific coasts of Panama, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
With the creation, in 1527, of the Province of Nicaragua, which included today's Nicaragua as well as the Nicoya Peninsula
Nicoya Peninsula
The Nicoya Peninsula is a peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and lies in the Guanacaste Province in the north, and the Puntarenas Province in the south. It is located at . It varies from 19 to wide and is approximately long, and forms the largest peninsula in the country. It is known...
, Castilla de Oro's jurisdiction was reduced. In 1537, once the conflict between the crown and the Columbus family was settled, Castilla de Oro was split up, divided by the Duchy of Veragua
Duchy of Veragua
The Duchy of Veragua was a Spanish hereditary domain created in 1537 in the reign of King Charles I in a small section of the territory of Veragua...
.
The western portion, which comprised most of Panama's and Costa Rica's Pacific coasts, was merged in 1540 with Royal Veragua
Royal Veragua
Royal Veragua was a territory of the Crown of Castile in the early colonial period in the New World. It included the Caribbean slopes from the Río Sixaola to the island Escudo de Veraguas, in what is now Panama...
, to create the Province of Nuevo Cartago y Costa Rica
Nuevo Cartago y Costa Rica
Nuevo Cartago y Costa Rica was a province of the Kingdom of Guatemala, created in 1540 during the reign of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor . It was formed from two earlier Spanish territories...
.
The eastern part, the last remnant of Castilla de Oro, in time became known as the Realm of Tierra Firme, or Panamá, especially after the creation of the Royal Academy of Panamá in 1538. In 1560, the new Province of Veragua, created by Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
out of the now defunct Duchy of Veragua, was merged with Castilla de Oro.
Governors of Castilla del Oro, 1514-1540
- 1514-1526 Pedro Arias DávilaPedrarias DávilaPedrarias Dávila y Ortiz de Cota , was a Spanish colonial administrator...
, Governor - 1526-1529 Pedro de los Ríos y Gutiérrez de AguayoPedro de los Ríos y Gutiérrez de AguayoPedro de los Ríos y Gutiérrez de Aguayo was a Spanish colonial administrator who succeeded Pedrarias Dávila as governor of Castilla del Oro and of Nicaragua...
, Governor - 1529-1532 Antonio de la Gama, Interim Governor
- 1533-1536 Francisco de Barrionuevo, Governor
- 1536-1539 Pedro Vázquez de Acuña, Governor
- 1539 Francisco Pérez de Robles, President of the Audiencia of PanamaRoyal Audiencia of PanamaThe Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Panama in Tierra Firme was a governing body and superior court in the New World empire of Spain. The Audiencia of Panama was the third American audiencia after the ones of Santo Domingo and Mexico...