After Columbus discovered the New World in 1493, fanatical European explorers, either in search of gold, or for religious beliefs, to find the legendary sacrificial king, or to escape suffering, in short, for various reasons, they set off a wave of "marching to the New World".
Basco Nunez de Barboa was one of the explorers. He sailed to the Americas with the explorer Bastidas around 1500 and eventually settled on the island of Haiti. On the island of Haiti he was given land and Indian slaves, which he could have made a fortune with, but in the end he was saddled with a bunch of debts. Just as he was thinking about how to get rid of his debt collectors, good news came.
First, the "big man" hiding in the wooden box
In 1510, the Spanish scholar Martin Fernández de Encisso came to the island of Haiti to recruit warriors and went to San Sebastián, the colony in which he had invested. The colony invested almost all of his wealth. When Balboa heard the news, he was pleasantly surprised, but then turned to disappointment, because the governor of Haiti, Diego Columbus, in order to protect the interests of the moneylenders, forbade these indebted people to leave the island.
But Balboa, filled with the blood of an adventure hero, could not sit still. He hid in a wooden box that was about to be transported to the ship, and Balboa was carried by the slaves to Ensiso's ship. After the ship set sail away from land, he slowly stepped out of the box. This so much so startled the rationalist literati Ensiso that he threatened to throw Balboa down the next island they passed, whether it was inhabited or not.
2. Arrive at Darien
While sailing, they encountered a small boat led by Francisco Pizarro, the figure who would later conquer the Inca Empire. Pizarro told Nsiso and the others that they had returned from San Sebastian, a colony that Ensiso had invested in. The colony of San Sebastián had been destroyed by the Indians. Hearing this news, Ensiso was stunned, which meant that his family property was in vain.
Just as the clouds of gloom were spread over the ship, Balboa stepped forward. He claims that in his early years when he was following the explorer Bastidas, he went to a place called Darien, where the Indians were friendly and full of gold, and even a river full of gold. Balboa's words filled Nsisso and others with hope. They then decided to reach Company.
Balboa
Third, become the ruler of Darien
When Balboa and others arrived in Company, they began to slaughter and plunder the local Indians in search of gold and other wealth. While Balboa was plundering an Indian tribe, the tribal chief, in order to avoid death, married his daughter to Balboa and allied himself with Balboa. Amazingly, Balboa loved his Indian wife until his death.
The traditional scholar, Ensiso, wanted to establish his authority as governor to administer the colony and these explorers, so he constantly issued decrees in his residence prohibiting explorers from plundering gold and killing Indians at will. But how could these explorers, who were born with swords and guns, obey a weak literati who could only show off his writing? This led directly to the outbreak of conflict between Ensiso and Balboa and others. In the end, Balboa became the victorious side, and Nsiso had to flee Darien in order to save his life.
The governor sent by the king to rule the region, Nizagu, was also forbidden to disembark by Balboa and others, and eventually drowned at sea. Balboa became the de facto ruler of the colony.
Fourth, embark on the road to discovering the "South China Sea"
Balboa, after becoming the de facto ruler of Darien, was not happy, but worried. Because encampment Ensiso was bound to accuse him of the Spanish courts, and he disobeyed the king's orders, resulting in the death of the governor sent by the king, he was bound to be severely punished.
But God took care of him, and While Balboa was visiting the home of the Indian chiefTain Comagle, he heard shocking news—on the other side of the mountain there was a sea, and the river flowing into the sea was full of gold. If the chief is telling the truth, he will be the first to discover the fabled "South Sea." These colonists have long believed that by crossing the "South China Sea," they would reach gold-strewn India and China.
At this time, the cronies he had sent back to Spain also returned to Darien and told Balboa that Ensiso, who had been driven away by him, had appealed to the Spanish courts and that Balboa had been asked for compensation. Upon hearing this, Balboa had come to understand that the next ship to reach Darien would be the one that would escort him back to Spain for trial.
V. "Seeking Refuge in an Immortal Cause"
Mr. Zweig once said: "Seek refuge in an immortal cause." In order to save himself, to avoid punishment, and to accomplish the great cause that will make people famous, Balboa decided to go to the "South China Sea" and conquer the unknown sea.
On September 1, 1513, on this seemingly unsurprising day, Balboa set out with a detachment of 1,000 Indians sent by 190 Spanish soldiers and his Indian father-in-law.
Great actions always have to go through a thousand dangers. In order to reach the other side of the mountain, they must first conquer the rainforest. The rainforest is teeming with swamp thorns and swarms of mosquitoes that can kill you if you are not careful. After a dozen days of travel, these annoying jungles have been reduced. However, they have experienced new dangers. The local Indian tribes attacked Balboa and the others, but how could these Indians with cold weapons be rivals to powerful artillery? After the artillery fire, the Indians scattered and fled. Balboa didn't want to end there, and he took pleasure in tying up the Indian captives and throwing them at the hungry wolfhounds to bite at will.
On September 25, 1513, Balboa led the remaining 67 Spanish soldiers to the end and saw the "South China Sea" they had dreamed of. Balboa thus became the first person in the world to discover the Pacific Ocean.
At that time, Balvoia and others did not call this sea the Pacific Ocean, but called it "South China Sea", and the name of "Pacific Ocean" was named after the ocean when Magellan sailed around the world a few years later, when the ocean was calm and calm, and there was no wind and rain.
Magellan
Vi. The Death of Balboa
In January 1514, Balboa and the others returned to their place of departure, and his prestige grew in the land of Darien. But the good times did not last long, and the king's governor Pedro came here. Governor Pedro was tasked with trying Balboa, but when he learned of Balboa's feat, he knew that trial was impossible, and he had to show a happy, congratulatory mood, even though he was jealous of Balboa's feat.
When governor Pedro arrived, Balboa understood that there was no room for a mountain, so he applied to Pedro to start a new expedition to find the legendary Inca Empire in order to get rid of the control of others and establish his own rule, and his plan was approved.
Perhaps knowing Balboa's plot to establish a new colony, or perhaps out of jealousy, Governor Pedro quickly wrote a letter to Balboa, asking him to return to his place of departure. Poor Balboa immediately returned to gain the governor's support for him. However, what awaited him was not a grand welcome banquet, but a cold rope. A few days later, he was on the ground because of the unfair trial.
Inca civilization
Wen Shijun said
As a rebel and a great explorer, Balboa, in order to offset his own mortal sins and make his name famous, eventually discovered the legendary "South China Sea", that is, the Pacific Ocean. This great discovery had an indelible effect on the development of the world and directly inspired Magellan's voyage around the world a few years later.
bibliography
Stephen Zweig: When the Stars of Mankind Shine, translated by Shu Changshan, Guangxi Normal University Press, 2004.
Cui Fuyuan: "The First European to Discover the Pacific Ocean", Nautical, No. 6, 1999.
Wen Feng: "The Adventure Life of Balboa", Sea World, No. 4, 2008.
(Author: Haoran Wenshi I Love History)
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