Juan Ponce de León y Loayza
Encyclopedia
Juan Ponce de León y Loayza (b. San Juan, Puerto Rico) was the son of Juan Ponce de Leon II
(born Juan Troche-Ponce de Leon), an interim Spanish
governor of Puerto Rico
in 1579. His mother was Isabel de Loayza, daughter of Governor Cervantes de Loayza. The city of Ponce, Puerto Rico
, was named after Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza.
Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza's father, Juan Ponce de Leon II, was the son of lady Juana Ponce de Leon, one of three daughters born of Juan Ponce de Leon
, the Spanish
conquistador
, and his wife Leonora Ponce de Leon (their other three children were Isabel, Maria, and Luis). Thus, Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza was the great-grandson of the Spanish conquistador
and first governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de Leon
.
to Puerto Rico in August of 1577, Bishop Diego de Salamanca
, not finding a commercial ship heading to Puerto Rico at the time, boarded a Spanish warship headed to Mexico
, which dropped him off in the southern coast of Puerto Rico at Guanica
. He then rode by horse through the interior of the Island in his way to his post in San Juan
.
While traveling to San Juan, he took notice that the southern region was not being attended to by the Spanish leaders in San Juan, and while in San Juan, made efforts to have farmers sent to the South to settle there and work the land. Having married Doña Ana de Salamanca, the niece of Bishop Diego de Salamanca, Juan Ponce de León y Loayza learned of Diego's efforts and became interested in colonizing the area, thus becoming one of the first settlers on the southern shores of Puerto Rico.
The first Spanish settlement was near Rio Jacaguas, but being too vulnerable to Indian attacks at that location, the colony
moved further west and inland to the banks of Rio Portugues, near the center of the current location of the city that bears his name.
In 1670, a small chapel was built in the area where the actual plaza
is now located. Ponce de León y Loaiza was the town’s most enthusiastic colonizer; it was his main interest to have this area settled and unified into a town. These were the humble beginnings of what would become a very important and aristocratic city. While a resident there, and as son of interim governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de León y Loayza worked to have the Queen of Spain issue a permit to formalize the founding of a hamlet
there. The hamlet had developed around the small chapel, raised and dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe
.
On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain Carlos II issued a Cédula Real (Royal Permit) converting the chapel into a parish
, and in so doing officially recognized the small settlement as a hamlet as was Spanish custom. It is believed that Juan Ponce de León y Loayza himself was instrumental in obtaining the royal permit to formalize the founding of the hamlet
.
(Villa de Ponce) by Royal Decree. In 1877, it obtained its city charter, paving the way to becoming the modern-day city of Ponce.
Juan Ponce de Leon II
Juan Ponce de León II , was the first Puerto Rican to assume, though temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
(born Juan Troche-Ponce de Leon), an interim Spanish
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...
governor of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1579. His mother was Isabel de Loayza, daughter of Governor Cervantes de Loayza. The city of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, was named after Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza.
Royal lineage
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
, the Spanish
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...
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...
, and his wife Leonora Ponce de Leon (their other three children were Isabel, Maria, and Luis). Thus, Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza was the great-grandson of the 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...
and first governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de Leon
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
.
Background
In his trip from SpainSpain
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...
to Puerto Rico in August of 1577, Bishop Diego de Salamanca
Diego de Salamanca
Fr. Diego de Salamanca was the first Augustinian who was a Roman Catholic bishop in Puerto Rico.He was Spanish, born in Burgos in 1519. In 1541, he came with the Augustinians and made his profession...
, not finding a commercial ship heading to Puerto Rico at the time, boarded a Spanish warship headed to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, which dropped him off in the southern coast of Puerto Rico at Guanica
Guánica, Puerto Rico
Guánica is a municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico located on southern coast, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Sabana Grande, east of Lajas, and west of Yauco. It is part of the Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. He then rode by horse through the interior of the Island in his way to his post in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
While traveling to San Juan, he took notice that the southern region was not being attended to by the Spanish leaders in San Juan, and while in San Juan, made efforts to have farmers sent to the South to settle there and work the land. Having married Doña Ana de Salamanca, the niece of Bishop Diego de Salamanca, Juan Ponce de León y Loayza learned of Diego's efforts and became interested in colonizing the area, thus becoming one of the first settlers on the southern shores of Puerto Rico.
The first Spanish settlement was near Rio Jacaguas, but being too vulnerable to Indian attacks at that location, the colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
moved further west and inland to the banks of Rio Portugues, near the center of the current location of the city that bears his name.
Political leadership
Plaza Las Delicias
Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The square is notable for its fountains and for the various monuments it contains. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located within Plaza Las Delicias. Plaza Las Delicias is actually composed of...
is now located. Ponce de León y Loaiza was the town’s most enthusiastic colonizer; it was his main interest to have this area settled and unified into a town. These were the humble beginnings of what would become a very important and aristocratic city. While a resident there, and as son of interim governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de León y Loayza worked to have the Queen of Spain issue a permit to formalize the founding of a hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
there. The hamlet had developed around the small chapel, raised and dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
.
On September 17, 1692, the King of Spain Carlos II issued a Cédula Real (Royal Permit) converting the chapel into a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, and in so doing officially recognized the small settlement as a hamlet as was Spanish custom. It is believed that Juan Ponce de León y Loayza himself was instrumental in obtaining the royal permit to formalize the founding of the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
.
Aftermath
In 1848, many years after Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza's death, the hamlet was declared a villaVilla
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
(Villa de Ponce) by Royal Decree. In 1877, it obtained its city charter, paving the way to becoming the modern-day city of Ponce.