Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón was a Spanish explorer and colonizer who is best known for his 1526 expedition to the New World. He was born in 1475 in the town of Ayllón, in the province of Burgos, Spain. He was the son of a wealthy landowner and was educated in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
At the age of twenty-one, Vázquez de Ayllón was appointed as the royal treasurer of the Indies, a position that allowed him to travel to the New World. He was also appointed as the royal governor of Hispaniola, the island that is now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During his time in Hispaniola, Vázquez de Ayllón was responsible for the establishment of the first Spanish settlement in the New World.
In 1526, Vázquez de Ayllón set out on an expedition to explore the coast of what is now the southeastern United States. He sailed from Hispaniola with a fleet of six ships and over 500 men. He landed in what is now South Carolina and established a settlement called San Miguel de Gualdape. The settlement was short-lived, however, as the native population was hostile and the settlers were unable to find food or water. After only a few weeks, the settlement was abandoned and Vázquez de Ayllón and his men returned to Hispaniola.
Despite the failure of his expedition, Vázquez de Ayllón is remembered as one of the first Europeans to explore the southeastern United States. He is also remembered for his efforts to protect the native population from exploitation by the Spanish. He was the first to recognize the rights of the native people and to protect them from enslavement.
Vázquez de Ayllón died in 1526, shortly after his return from the New World. He was buried in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo in Hispaniola. His legacy lives on in the form of the Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón National Historic Park in South Carolina, which was established in his honor in 1966.
Vázquez de Ayllón's expedition to the New World was a significant event in the history of exploration and colonization. His efforts to protect the native population from exploitation and to recognize their rights were ahead of their time. His legacy lives on in the form of the Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón National Historic Park, which serves as a reminder of his contributions to the history of exploration and colonization.