Gonzalo Méndez de Canço facts for kids

Gonzalo Méndez de Canço y Donlebún (also known as "de Cancio" or "de Canzo") was a Spanish admiral. He was born around 1554 and died on March 31, 1622. He served as the seventh governor of the Spanish province of La Florida from 1596 to 1603.

During his time as governor, he helped stop a rebellion by Native Americans called Juanillo's revolt. He also encouraged the growing of maize in Florida. He even brought corn seeds to Asturias, Spain, where it became a very important crop.

Early life and naval career

Gonzalo Méndez de Canço was born in 1554 in Tapia de Casariego, Asturias, Spain. His family were hidalgos, a type of Spanish nobility. When he was 14, he joined the Spanish fleet that sailed to the Americas.

At 17, in 1571, he traveled to America. He even paid for three of his own ships to help the Spanish navy. His first ship, El Apóstol Santiago, was lost at sea. But he didn't give up! He built another ship called Nuestra Señora de Escontrela. This ship was also lost in Panama in 1584. His third ship was named Virgen de la Concepción. It had thirteen cannons and other weapons.

Gonzalo proved he was a brave sailor and soldier. He captured a French ship and saved gold and silver from a sinking Spanish ship during a storm. Because of his skills, he was made an admiral.

He continued to serve the Spanish Crown, helping to gather sailors for the navy. In 1592, King Charles I made him a "captain of sea and war." This was a special title for his achievements. In 1595, King Philip II sent him as an admiral with a fleet.

Victory against Sir Francis Drake

In 1595, a Spanish fleet carrying lots of gold and silver was hit by a storm. The ships had to stop in Puerto Rico. The Spanish king, Philip II, worried that the English might attack Puerto Rico to steal the treasure. So, he sent Admiral Tello and Gonzalo de Canço with five ships to protect it.

Expedition of Drake and Hawkins, 1595–1596

On November 8, de Canço's fleet found two English ships. They chased one of them, and de Canço's ship captured it. They found out that a large English fleet, led by John Hawkins and Francis Drake, was planning to attack Puerto Rico! De Canço quickly sent a warning to Puerto Rico.

The governor of Puerto Rico quickly prepared the island's defenses. De Canço was in charge of the forts, including El Morro. Another general blocked the harbor entrance with a damaged ship.

On November 22, the English fleet appeared. De Canço's cannons fired accurately. One shot hit Drake's flagship, and another shot hit Drake's cabin, killing two officers.

Francis Drake, now in sole command, moved his ships to a safer spot. That night, he sent 30 boats with 1,500 men to burn the Spanish ships in the harbor. They set fire to three ships.

De Canço's plan worked perfectly. His cannons from the forts fired constantly at the English boats. The Spanish soldiers also used their muskets. That night, nine English boats were sunk, and 400 English soldiers died. The Spanish lost about 40 men and one ship. Seeing he could not take the island, Drake left Puerto Rico. De Canço even managed to sink four more English ships as they left.

This was a big victory for the Spanish. For Francis Drake, it was a rare defeat. After this, de Canço sailed safely back to Spain with the treasure.

Governor of La Florida

On March 22, 1596, King Philip II made de Canço the seventh governor of La Florida. He moved to St. Augustine, the capital, in June 1597 with his wife and son. He didn't like St. Augustine because it was on low, marshy land. The soil was sandy and not good for farming.

De Canço was a strong leader with big plans. He thought it would be better to build a new settlement where the land was good for farming. This new place could supply food to St. Augustine. He heard that Tama, in what is now Georgia, was a good spot. He sent a soldier and two monks to explore Tama. They told him it was very fertile, with good forests and even gold and silver mines.

Juanillo's revolt

While de Canço was planning for Tama, a Native American chief named Juanillo started a rebellion in September 1597. Some chiefs were worried about the spread of Christianity. The Franciscan missionaries were telling the Native Americans to stop practices like polygamy (having more than one spouse), divorce, dancing, and inter-tribal wars. Juanillo believed these rules made his people weak.

On September 13, 1597, Juanillo's warriors attacked and killed a Franciscan friar at Tolomato. Other Native American leaders joined the rebellion. They were also upset about losing their lands and freedom to the Spanish. Many missions were attacked, and five Franciscans were killed.

News of the rebellion reached St. Augustine in early October. De Canço, even though he was sick, quickly organized a group to help. His troops could not catch the rebels, so he burned their villages and destroyed their crops. He captured one prisoner who told him about the friar's death.

In May 1598, de Canço rescued Friar Francisco Dávila, the only missionary who survived the attack. The friar had been held captive by the Native Americans. De Canço's troops stopped the rebellion. It ended when Spanish allies attacked Juanillo's stronghold, killing him and 24 of his supporters. This brought peace to Florida for a while.

In May 1600, some Guale chiefs came to St. Augustine to promise loyalty to the new King, Philip III. Governor Canço accepted their promise, but only if they would stop any future uprisings. In 1603, de Canço visited the Guale territory again to check on their loyalty.

Other achievements as governor

During his time as governor, de Canço explored the territory four times. He brought many chiefs from different areas, like Potano, Apalachee, and Santa Elena, to accept Spanish rule.

He also strongly encouraged the growing of corn. He gave tools and seeds to settlers and Native Americans. He even built a mill to grind the corn. He also helped set up farms and plantations.

When the hospital in St. Augustine burned down, de Canço paid to build a new one himself. He named it after Santa Barbara. He made sure the hospital was clean and that patients were cared for by soldiers and other helpers. He also ordered a large church to be built at the San Pedro de Mocama mission for Christianized Native Americans.

In February 1603, Philip III appointed a new governor, Pedro de Ibarra. This meant de Canço couldn't finish his plans for Tama. He returned to Spain, bringing two packages of corn seeds with him. These seeds greatly helped corn farming in Asturias. He spent the rest of his life in Tapia de Casariego, where he served as mayor and a local military captain. He died there on March 31, 1622.

Personal life

Gonzalo Méndez de Canço married Magdalena Estoa y Luaces. They had at least two children. Their son, Diego de Canço y Donlebún, became a mayor in Asturias. Their daughter, María de Canço y Luaces, married an Asturian man.

See also

In Spanish: Gonzalo Méndez de Cancio para niños

• Battle of the Guadalupe Island (1595)