Spanish Empire Timeline

• 1492 - 1493
  First Voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World in three ships in an attempt to establish maritime trade routes to the East.
• 1494
  A Spanish settlement is founded at La Isabela on the island of Hispaniola.
• 7 Jun 1494
  Portugal and Spain sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the world into two spheres of influence.
• 1498
  The Spanish settlement of Santo Domingo on Hispaniola is founded.
• 1502
  The encomienda system is first applied to the Americas on the island of Hispaniola.
• 1503
  The use of the system of encomienda in the Spanish Empire receives approval from the Spanish monarchy.
• 1508
  The Spanish first settle on Puerto Rico.
• 1510
  The Spanish found Nombre de Dios in Panama.
• 1511 - 1513
  Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar conducts the Spanish conquest of Cuba.
• 1511
  The Spanish first settle on Cuba.
• 1511
  The audiencia is formed in Santo Domingo, the first in the Spanish empire.
• 1512
  The Laws of Burgos set out how indigenous peoples should be treated within the Spanish Empire.
• 1513
  The jurist Juan López de Palacios Rubios is tasked with drafting the Spanish Requirement.
• Mar 1513 - Apr 1513
  Juan Ponce de León lands in Florida, the first documented European to do so.
• Jun 1513
  Juan Ponce de León discovers the Tortugas and the Gulf Stream.
• 19 Jun 1513
  The notary Rodrigo de Colmemares reads out the Spanish Requirement for the first time to indigenous people in Colombia.
• Mar 1518
  Charles I of Spain formally accepts the proposal of Ferdinand Magellan to sail to Asia via the Americas.
• Apr 1518
  Juan de Grijalva leads an expedition to explore the eastern coast of Mexico.
• 1519
  The Spanish found the city of Panama.
• 1519
  Veracruz, Mexico is founded by Hernán Cortés.
• Nov 1519
  Motecuhzoma II receives Hernán Cortés at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan.
• c. 1520 - 1789
  Spanish treasure fleets transport the riches of the Americas to Spain.
• 30 Jun 1520
  The bloody retreat of Hernán Cortés from Tenochtitlan known as the Noche Triste ('Sad Night').
• 1521
  Juan Ponce de León leads a second expedition to Florida to found a Spanish colony. His party is attacked and he dies of his wounds in Cuba.
• 13 Aug 1521
  The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan falls into the hands of Spanish forces led by Hernán Cortés.
• 1522
  Jean de Fleury (aka Florin) captures three Spanish treasure ships off Cape Vincent.
• May 1523
  Hernán Cortés is appointed the first governor of the colony of New Spain (Mexico).
• 1524 - 1834
  The Council of the Indies governs Spanish territories in the Americas.
• 1524 - 1525
  Francisco Pizarro leads his first voyage of exploration to South America.
• Aug 1524
  The Council of the Indies is formed to govern Spanish colonies in the Americas.
• 1526
  Francisco Pizarro leads his second voyage of exploration to South America.
• 1527
  The audiencia is formed in Mexico City (formerly Tenochtitlan).
• Jul 1529
  Francisco Pizarro receives royal backing to explore South America.
• c. 1530
  The first Spanish galleons come into operation.
• Dec 1530
  Francisco Pizarro leaves Panama for his thrid voyage of exploration to South America.
• 1532
  Francsico Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors arrive in South America.
• 15 Nov 1532
  Hernando de Soto reads out the Spanish Requirement to the Inca ruler Atahualpa.
• 16 Nov 1532
  Battle of Cajamarca where the Inca leader Atahualpa is captured and held for ransom by Spanish forces led by Francisco Pizarro.
• 15 Nov 1533
  Francisco Pizarro takes the Inca capital of Cuzco.
• 1535
  Don Antonio de Mendoza is made the first viceroy of New Spain (Mexico and Central America).
• 18 Jan 1535
  Francsico Pizarro founds Lima (Ciudad de Los Reyes) as the capital of Spanish Peru.
• Jul 1535
  Diego de Almagro leads a 20-month long expedition to explore Chile.
• 6 May 1536
  An Inca army led by Manco Inca attackes the Spanish conquistadors in Cusco.
• 1542
  The New Laws unsuccessfully attempt to reduce the application of the encomienda system in the Spanish Empire.
• 1543
  The Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru (the former Inca territory) is established.
• Aug 1550
  The Valladolid debate between Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda and Bartolomé de Las Casas on how indigenous peoples in the Spanish Americas should be treated.
• 1555
  Captain-General Pedro Menendez de Avilés begins a system of large and escorted convoys for the Spanish treasure fleets.
• Jul 1555
  The French privateer Jacques de Sores brutally attacks Havana.
• 1565 - 1815
  The Manila galleons each year take eastern trade goods from Manila to Acapulco (and return with American silver).
• 1572 - 1573
  Francis Drake explores Panama and seizes a Spanish silver mule train.
• 1573
  Spanish royal regulations are issued on town planning in Spanish America.
• 1573
  Philip II of Spain prohibits the application of the encomienda system in any new territories of the Spanish Empire.
• c. 1575 - 1820
  The repartimiento system of forced labour is practised in the Spanish Empire.
• Mar 1579
  Francis Drake captures the Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (aka Cacafuego).
• 1596
  Portobelo replaces Nombre de Dios as the chief Atlantic port in Panama.
• 1599
  Dutch ships begin to take salt from Araya on the coast of Venezuela.
• 1620 - 1697
  Buccaneers operate in the Caribbean and attack both ports and ships along the Spanish Main.
• 1622
  The Nuestra Señora de Atocha Spanish treasure ship is wrecked in a storm off the Florida Keys.
• Sep 1628
  A Dutch force led by Admiral Hein captures the entire New Spain treasure fleet on its way to Havana.
• Apr 1669
  A buccaneer force led by Henry Morgan captures the port of Maracaibo. on the Spanish Main.
• 1681
  The Nuestra Señora de Encarnación Spanish treasure ship is wrecked in a storm off the coast of Panama.
• 1697
  The conquest of the Maya Civilization completed by the Spanish conquistador Martín de Ursúa.
• c. 1700
  The encomienda system goes into decline in most parts of the Spanish Empire.
• 1714
  The military responsibilities of the Council of the Indies are transferred to the Spanish Ministry of the Navy and the Indies.
• 1739
  The Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada (Venezuela and Colombia) is established.
• 1763
  The Treaty of Paris sees Spain cede Florida to Britain.
• 1800
  Louisiana is ceded to France by the Spanish.