Alonso de Ojeda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alonso de Ojeda
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Alonso de Ojeda. This image may not be of Alonso de Ojeda as some authors claim it is of Diego de Almagro
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| Born | c. 1466 |
| Died | c. 1515 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Explorer |
| Known for | Naming Venezuela, first European to visit Lake Maracaibo, founder of Santa Cruz (La Guairita) |
Alonso de Ojeda (around 1466 – around 1515) was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He traveled through many parts of the Americas. He explored areas that are now Guyana, Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago, Curaçao, Aruba, and Colombia.
Ojeda sailed with Amerigo Vespucci, who is famous for giving the name Venezuela to the region. Ojeda was also the first European to visit Guyana, Curaçao, Colombia, and Lake Maracaibo. Later, he helped found the settlement of Santa Cruz (La Guairita).
Contents
Early Life and Military Skills
Alonso de Ojeda was born in Cuenca, New Castile, Spain, around 1466. His father, Rodrigo de Huete, was a minor noble who fought for Queen Isabel in 1474. Queen Isabel was thankful for his father's help and took Alonso under her protection.
When he was young, Alonso worked for the Duke of Medinaceli. He showed great skill as a soldier and swordsman during the conquest of Granada. People said he was small but clever and brave. He was known for being the first to act in any fight.
First Journey to Hispaniola
After Christopher Columbus's first successful trip, a much larger fleet was prepared for his second voyage in 1493. Ojeda was chosen to captain one of the ships. This was likely because the Duke of Medinaceli supported both Columbus and Ojeda.
The fleet reached the island of Hispaniola in November 1493. They found that the fort built during Columbus's first trip was destroyed, and the Spanish settlers left behind were gone. The local people blamed a leader named Caonabo.
In January 1494, Columbus sent Ojeda to search for gold in a mountainous area called Cibao. Ojeda returned two weeks later with some gold nuggets. He reported that there was a lot of gold in the area.
Columbus then set up a fort called Santo Tomas to trade for gold and as a base for more exploration. Ojeda later took command of this fort. He also captured Caonabo, the local leader, by tricking him into wearing shiny brass handcuffs as if they were royal jewelry.
Ojeda also took part in a big battle called Vega Real. The Spanish, led by Ojeda, won this battle against a much larger native army. Ojeda returned to Spain in 1496.
Exploring Venezuela: First Voyage
After returning to Spain, Ojeda was given permission by the King and Queen to sail to America again. He left on May 18, 1499, with three ships. He sailed with the mapmaker Juan de la Cosa and the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. This was one of the first "minor journeys" to the New World after Columbus's main voyages.
The ships sailed along the coast of Africa and then followed the same route Columbus had used. Vespucci separated from the group to sail south towards Brazil. Ojeda's main group arrived at the mouths of the Essequibo and Orinoco rivers. They explored the coasts of what are now Trinidad, Margarita, and Paria, always looking for a passage to Asia.
They also saw the island of Curacao, which they called Giants Island because the native people seemed very tall. They also visited Aruba and the Las Aves archipelago.
While sailing along the Paraguaná Peninsula, they entered a gulf (Gulf of Venezuela). Here, they saw villages of the Wayuu people built on stilts over the water. These houses reminded Amerigo Vespucci of the city of Venice (Venezia in Italian). So, the area was named Venezuela, meaning Little Venice. (However, some say the name came from a local group called the Veneciuela.)
The expedition reached Lake Maracaibo on August 24, 1499. Ojeda also reached Cabo de la Vela, which he named Coquivacoa.
A few days later, the expedition sailed to Hispaniola. They had some pearls and a little gold. This trip was important because it was the first detailed exploration of the Venezuelan coast. Juan de la Cosa also drew the first known map of the area.
When they arrived in Hispaniola, Columbus's followers were angry. They felt Ojeda was exploring areas that belonged to Columbus's rights. This led to fights between the groups. Ojeda then took many captives back to Spain.
Second Voyage to Venezuela
Ojeda decided to make another journey. The King and Queen appointed him Governor of Coquivacoa in 1501. This allowed him to start a colony there. He partnered with merchants who provided four ships.
Ojeda sailed from Spain in January 1502. He explored the coast of Venezuela. On May 3, 1502, he founded a colony called Santa Cruz on the Guajira Peninsula. This was the first Spanish settlement on the American mainland, in what is now Colombia.
However, the colony only lasted about three months. The Spanish settlers started attacking local villages, causing constant conflict. There were also problems among Ojeda and his own men. His partners took Ojeda prisoner and left the settlement.
Ojeda was held in prison in Hispaniola until 1504. He was later released but had to pay a lot of money, which left him poor. This second voyage was not successful.
Third Voyage to New Andalusia
After being released, Ojeda stayed in Hispaniola for four years. In 1508, he learned that King Ferdinand was looking for people to govern a new area on the mainland. Ojeda and another explorer, Diego de Nicuesa, were rivals for this job.
The King decided to divide the region into two parts: Veragua to the west and New Andalusia to the east. Ojeda was given New Andalusia in 1508.
Ojeda prepared his ships in Santo Domingo. His fleet had about 300 men and four smaller ships. Among his crew was Francisco Pizarro, who later conquered Peru. Hernán Cortés, who conquered Mexico, was supposed to join but got sick.
Ojeda sailed from Santo Domingo on November 10, 1509. He carried a special paper called a proclamation. This paper invited local people to peacefully accept Spanish rule or face force.
The fleet arrived at Bahia de Calamar in what is now Cartagena, Colombia. Ojeda landed with about 70 men. He sent people to read the proclamation to the local tribes. The native people were upset by this. The Spanish also raided villages to capture people. These actions made the local people fight back.
Ojeda defeated some native groups, but when he chased others into the jungle, his group was surprised by a counterattack. Most of his men were killed, and Juan de la Cosa died helping Ojeda escape. Only Ojeda and one other soldier survived.
Soon after, Nicuesa arrived with his ships. He helped Ojeda, and they joined forces to attack the people of Turbaco, who were defeated.
Governor of Nueva Andalucía and Urabá
Nicuesa then left for his own territory, while Ojeda continued along the coast of New Andalusia. On January 20, 1510, he founded a small fort called San Sebastián de Urabá.
However, the fort soon ran out of food. The climate was unhealthy, and local tribes attacked the Spanish with poisoned arrows. Ojeda was wounded in the leg.
After eight months, the help Ojeda was promised had not arrived. He left Francisco Pizarro in charge of the fort and sailed to Santo Domingo to get supplies. Ojeda never returned to San Sebastian. After 50 days, Pizarro and the remaining 70 colonists left the fort. Later, other Spanish explorers arrived to help the survivors. The local people then burned down the fort.
Ojeda returned to Santo Domingo on a ship belonging to a Spanish pirate.
Shipwrecked in Cuba
Ojeda was trying to get help in Santo Domingo. However, the pirate who gave him a ride took him prisoner. Then, a strong hurricane hit the ship. The ship was wrecked in Jagua, in the south of Cuba.
Ojeda and his men had to walk along the coast to reach a point where they could get to Hispaniola. They faced many difficulties, and half of the men died from hunger or illness. Ojeda carried a small image of the Virgin Mary with him. He promised to build a church for her in the first village where he received help.
With only a few men left, they arrived in the district of Cueybá. The local chief, Cacicaná, gave them food and shelter. Ojeda kept his promise and built a small church for the Virgin Mary there. Later, another explorer, Pánfilo de Narváez, rescued them and took them to Jamaica. From Jamaica, Ojeda returned to Hispaniola.
Later Life and Death
After his failed journey to New Andalusia, Ojeda did not lead any more expeditions. He gave up his position as governor. He spent the last five years of his life in Santo Domingo. He later went to live in a monastery, where he died in 1515.
It is said that he died poor and had no money for his burial. He asked to be buried under the entrance of the monastery. This way, everyone who entered would walk over his grave, as a way to make up for the mistakes he had made in his life.
His remains were later moved to another old church. The remains of Bartholomew Columbus were also found there.
Legacy
Ciudad Ojeda, a city on the eastern shore of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, is named in his honor.
The Spanish writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez wrote a novel about Ojeda's life called El Caballero de la Virgen (1929).
Another Spanish writer, Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa, also wrote about Ojeda in his novel Centauros (2007).
Images for kids
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Alonso de Ojeda. This image may not be of Alonso de Ojeda as some authors claim it is of Diego de Almagro
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Voyages undertaken by Alonso de Ojeda.
See also
In Spanish: Alonso de Ojeda para niños
