Juan de Escalante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan de Escalante
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Arms of the Escalante family
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| Born | Circa 1479 Spain |
| Died | 10 November 1519 Veracruz, Mexico |
| Allegiance | Hernán Cortés |
| Rank | Ship's captain, Alguazil mayor of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Nautla, Veracruz |
Juan de Escalante was a Spanish soldier who lived around the late 1400s and early 1500s. He was an important captain in Hernán Cortés' journey to Mexico. In 1519, he became the leader of the Spanish base in Veracruz.
Contents
Life and Expeditions
Early Journeys
In 1518, Juan de Escalante traveled to the Gulf of Mexico. He was part of an expedition led by Juan de Grijalva. Later, he joined Hernán Cortés' important journey.
At the start of 1519, Escalante was in his forties. He was in charge of one of Cortés' ships. Cortés ordered him to sail to Havana by going north of Cuba. The other ten ships sailed south. Another captain, Pedro de Alvarado, traveled by land.
Ship Repairs and New Friends
The expedition stopped at the island of Cozumel. Here, the men explored the new land. As they continued their journey, Juan de Escalante's ship started leaking badly. It was in danger of sinking, so he had to turn back.
Cortés then ordered the entire fleet to return to Cozumel. While Escalante's ship was being fixed, an important person joined them. This was Gerónimo de Aguilar. He had been held as a slave by the Maya people. Aguilar later became a very helpful interpreter for Cortés.
Burning the Ships
Some of the Spanish soldiers did not want to go further inland. They wanted to return to Cuba. To prevent this, Cortés gave a strong order to Juan de Escalante and other men. He told them to destroy their ships.
They took the sails, ropes, and compasses ashore. By doing this, Cortés made sure his men could not sail back to Cuba. This meant they had to continue their journey into the new land.
Leading Veracruz
In August 1519, Cortés formed an alliance with the Totonac people at Cempoala. After this, he founded a new city called Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. Cortés chose Juan de Escalante to be its first commander.
Escalante was also named alguazil mayor of the city. This meant he was the chief law enforcement officer. He was the first European to hold such an important position in the Americas.
Battle of Nautla
After setting up Veracruz, Cortés moved deeper into the country. He left Juan de Escalante in charge of Veracruz. Escalante had a small group of Spanish soldiers. Their job was to keep the peace and strengthen the alliance with the local tribes near the coast.
However, the Aztecs from the coast, led by a nobleman named Cuahpopoca, demanded tribute from these tribes. The local leaders complained to Escalante and asked for his help.
Escalante gathered his forces. He took 2 cannons, 3 crossbowmen, 2 musketeers, and 40 Spanish soldiers. Over 2,000 Totonac warriors also joined him. They faced thousands of Aztecs on the battlefield of Nautla. During the fight, the Totonacs left Escalante's side. Escalante was wounded and had to retreat to Veracruz. He died soon after this battle.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Escalante para niños
