Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Balboa was born 1475 in Spain, as Jerez de los Caballeros. He later became an explorer that led an expediton to the shores of the Pacific ocean.
In 1500 he was a member of Rodrigo de Bastides' expedition to the northern coast of South America. In 1501 he tried to become a plantation owner to make his fortune in Hispaniola. In 1510 to escape creditors, he stowed away on a ship, and later joined Martin Fernandez de Enciso's expedition that established a settlement in Panama called Darien. In 1511, the new Governor, appointed by King Ferdinand, arrived and demanded the gold the settlers had bartered from the Indians. Balboa, as head of the settlers, chased off the Governer and petitioned Spain to be appointed Governor, without success.
Balboa led an overland expedition in 1513, with 190 Spainiards and 800 Indians, to the shores of the Pacific, where he claimed it as the property of Spain. This feat earned him the title of "Admiral of the South Sea", but he still was denied the Governor title of Darien. When he returned, Pedraria Da Vila was appointed Governor. His jealously of Balboa would later cause him to arrest him for his earlier rebellion, and charge and convict him of treason. On January 12, 1519 he was beheaded, and his head impaled on a pole in the main square of Darien.
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