Diego Hernández de Serpa
Encyclopedia
Diego Hernández de Serpa (c.
1510 – May 10, 1570) was a Spanish conquistador
who, under the patronage of Philip II of Spain
, helped conquer and colonize the Spanish colony of New Andalusia
.
, Spain
, around the year 1510. Since his youth, he had visited the Americas
. He and his brother, Ginés, went in 1524 to the small island of Cubagua
, off the coast of present-day Venezuela
. The island was thriving as it had an abundance of wealth in the pearl industry. The two brothers prospered on the island. Diego accompanied Diego de Ordás in an expedition on the Orinoco River.
Until 1537, during his return to Cubagua, Diego was responsible for defending against pirates and for seven years he traveled the Caribbean
in pursuit of corsairs. In 1537, the crisis intensified in New Cadiz, and there was a discovery of oyster beds in the Cabo de La Vela, where the majority of colonists in Cubagua were sent. Diego's adventures took him to Santa Marta, Colombia. Around 1539, he left to Quito
, where he lived some eight years with his family. He then went to Cartagena
in 1564 and then to Panama
. Afterward, he went back to Spain for two years, eventually returning to the New World. In Spain, in 1550, he married a woman named Constanza Alonzo; they had a son, Garcí, who was born around 1545 in Palos de la Frontera, and a daughter, Leonor, born in 1551. During his constant travels, Diego established a solid friendship with Juan Caballero, son and heir of don Diego Caballero
, one of the wealthiest men in the Antilles
and of the new colony of Paria
; this relationship gave Diego great political and economic influence. Diego had spent forty-eight years in the Americas and demanded as a prize for his services that he be appointed governor of Paria and Cumaná
.
In Santo Domingo
Diego negotiated with the Audiencia over a new enterprise: the conquering of Guayana
. Negotiations began in 1544, and it was eventually authorized in 1549, and Diego was granted troops and named captain of the Conquest of Guayana. There was a quick suspension on the search for the end of the Orinoco River, due to lack of royal authorization and opposition of the governor of Margarita Island. But, in the end Diego was able to pass Margarita and named Mayor and Captain of the war of Maracapana (Tierra Firme). He then took up the expedition towards El Tocuyo
. After a long march of six months he arrived at his destination in the middle of 1552. He participated in the founding of Nueva Segovia
in 1552.
C.
c. may refer to:* Circa: in genealogy and historical writing, c. means circa, and is used when the dates of events are approximately known...
1510 – May 10, 1570) was a Spanish conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
who, under the patronage of Philip II of Spain
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....
, helped conquer and colonize the Spanish colony of New Andalusia
New Andalusia
The name New Andalusia refers to two separate regions of the Spanish Empire in the Americas.* New Andalusia Governorate - created as one of Charles V's grants of 1534...
.
Biography
Diego Hernández de Serpa was born in Palos de la FronteraPalos de la Frontera
Palos de la Frontera is a town and municipality located in the southwestern Spanish province of Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is situated some from the provincial capital, Huelva...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, around the year 1510. Since his youth, he had visited the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. He and his brother, Ginés, went in 1524 to the small island of Cubagua
Cubagua
Cubagua or Isla de Cubagua is the smallest and least populated of the three islands constituting the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, after Isla Margarita and Coche. It is located 16 km north of Araya Peninsula, the closest mainland area....
, off the coast of present-day Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. The island was thriving as it had an abundance of wealth in the pearl industry. The two brothers prospered on the island. Diego accompanied Diego de Ordás in an expedition on the Orinoco River.
Until 1537, during his return to Cubagua, Diego was responsible for defending against pirates and for seven years he traveled the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
in pursuit of corsairs. In 1537, the crisis intensified in New Cadiz, and there was a discovery of oyster beds in the Cabo de La Vela, where the majority of colonists in Cubagua were sent. Diego's adventures took him to Santa Marta, Colombia. Around 1539, he left to Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, where he lived some eight years with his family. He then went to Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
in 1564 and then to 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...
. Afterward, he went back to Spain for two years, eventually returning to the New World. In Spain, in 1550, he married a woman named Constanza Alonzo; they had a son, Garcí, who was born around 1545 in Palos de la Frontera, and a daughter, Leonor, born in 1551. During his constant travels, Diego established a solid friendship with Juan Caballero, son and heir of don Diego Caballero
Diego Caballero
Diego Caballero was a Spanish merchant and minor Conquistador in the Caribbean area and in the islands off the coast of Venezuela. He organised raids on natives, whom he then used as slaves in pearl fishing and other enterprises. He amassed enormous wealth in America, which he invested in further...
, one of the wealthiest men in the Antilles
Antilles
The Antilles islands form the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north and west, including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the...
and of the new colony of Paria
Paria
Paria is a village situated near Vapi in Valsad District, Gujarat. India. The town of Udwada, away from Paria, has a railway station which connects Paria to Mumbai and western Gujarat...
; this relationship gave Diego great political and economic influence. Diego had spent forty-eight years in the Americas and demanded as a prize for his services that he be appointed governor of Paria and Cumaná
Cumaná
Cumaná is the capital of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located 402 km east of Caracas. It was the first settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland America, in 1501 by Franciscan friars, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people, it had to be refounded several times...
.
In Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
Diego negotiated with the Audiencia over a new enterprise: the conquering of Guayana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. Negotiations began in 1544, and it was eventually authorized in 1549, and Diego was granted troops and named captain of the Conquest of Guayana. There was a quick suspension on the search for the end of the Orinoco River, due to lack of royal authorization and opposition of the governor of Margarita Island. But, in the end Diego was able to pass Margarita and named Mayor and Captain of the war of Maracapana (Tierra Firme). He then took up the expedition towards El Tocuyo
El Tocuyo
El Tocuyo is a fertile valley and city in west-central Venezuela at elevation. It is located in south-central Lara State about 60 km southwest of Barquisimeto. The town of El Tocuyo was founded by Juan de Carvajal in 1545 on the banks of the Tocuyo River and it was the administrative capital of...
. After a long march of six months he arrived at his destination in the middle of 1552. He participated in the founding of Nueva Segovia
Barquisimeto
Barquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the Turbio River.-Overview:...
in 1552.