Chicora facts for kids
Chicora was a famous Native American land or group of people. European explorers looked for it in the 1500s in what is now South Carolina. The story of Chicora began when Spanish explorers took a Native American man in 1521. They named him Francisco de Chicora. After this, they believed his homeland was full of riches and natural treasures. This "Chicora Legend" made both the Spanish and French want to settle in North America for about 60 years.
The Story of Chicora
First Encounters (1521)
In 1521, two Spanish explorers, Pedro de Quexo and Francisco Gordillo, sailed from the Caribbean. They were exploring the coast of what is now the Southeastern United States. On June 24, they saw land near the Santee River. They called this new place the Land of St. John the Baptist.
For the next 22 days, they explored the river and nearby Winyah Bay. They met the local people. The explorers said they found a town or people called Chicora. The explorers then forced about 60 Native Americans onto their ships. They sailed away, planning to sell these people in Hispaniola. One of the people they took was the man the Spanish later named Francisco de Chicora.
Francisco de Chicora's Influence
When the explorers returned, Francisco Gordillo's supporter, Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón, asked the Spanish government for permission. He wanted to conquer and settle this new land. The next year, he went to Spain to present his case. He told very grand stories about how much wealth was waiting in Chicora.
By this time, Francisco de Chicora had been baptized and learned Spanish. He became Ayllón's personal helper. Francisco went with Ayllón to Spain. He also shared stories about the riches of his homeland. Ayllón even changed the maps to make Chicora seem like a "new Andalusia". Andalusia is a very fertile area in Spain. The Spanish King and Queen agreed to Ayllón's request.
Peter Martyr d'Anghiera, a famous historian, also met Ayllón and Francisco. He wrote notes about "Chicora." These notes helped spread the word about this land. They were published in Martyr's book Decade in 1530. This made the legend of Chicora even more widely known.
