Pánfilo de Narváez was born in Castile (in either Cuéllar or Valladolid) in 1478. He was a relative of Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, the first Spanish
governor of Cuba. His nephew was Antonio Velazquez de Narváez.
Jamaica and Cuba
Narváez took part in the Spanish conquest of Jamaica in 1509. In 1511 he went to Cuba to participate in the conquest of that
island under the command of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. He led expeditions to
the eastern end of the island in the company of Bartolomé
de las Casas and Juan de Grijalva. As reported by de las Casas,
who was an eyewitness, Narváez presided over the infamous massacre of Caonao,
where Spanish troopers put to the sword a village full of Indians who had come
to meet them with offerings of food.
Following the massacre, Narváez asked de las Casas, "What do you think about
what our Spaniards have done?" to which de las Casas replied, "I send both you
and them to the Devil!
New Spain portal
In 1519, Hernán Cortés led an expedition to Mexico that
would eventually result in the overthrow of the Aztec Empire. In 1520, Diego Velazquez de
Cuellar, the governor of Cuba, not wishing to see Cortés succeed, sent Narváez
after him at the head of a large expedition of ships and Spanish troops, with
instructions to bring Cortés back, dead or alive. Narváez disembarked at Veracruz,
where Cortés had left behind a small garrison upon setting out with the rest of
his men for the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. When the news of Narváez's arrival
reached Cortés, the latter gathered his troops and returned to the coast, where
he defeated Narváez and took him prisoner. Narváez remained a prisoner at
Veracruz for approximately two years. In the meantime, the deadly disease of smallpox
spread from a carrier in Narváez's party to the native population of New
Spain, killing many.
governor of Cuba. His nephew was Antonio Velazquez de Narváez.
Jamaica and Cuba
Narváez took part in the Spanish conquest of Jamaica in 1509. In 1511 he went to Cuba to participate in the conquest of that
island under the command of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. He led expeditions to
the eastern end of the island in the company of Bartolomé
de las Casas and Juan de Grijalva. As reported by de las Casas,
who was an eyewitness, Narváez presided over the infamous massacre of Caonao,
where Spanish troopers put to the sword a village full of Indians who had come
to meet them with offerings of food.
Following the massacre, Narváez asked de las Casas, "What do you think about
what our Spaniards have done?" to which de las Casas replied, "I send both you
and them to the Devil!
New Spain portal
In 1519, Hernán Cortés led an expedition to Mexico that
would eventually result in the overthrow of the Aztec Empire. In 1520, Diego Velazquez de
Cuellar, the governor of Cuba, not wishing to see Cortés succeed, sent Narváez
after him at the head of a large expedition of ships and Spanish troops, with
instructions to bring Cortés back, dead or alive. Narváez disembarked at Veracruz,
where Cortés had left behind a small garrison upon setting out with the rest of
his men for the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. When the news of Narváez's arrival
reached Cortés, the latter gathered his troops and returned to the coast, where
he defeated Narváez and took him prisoner. Narváez remained a prisoner at
Veracruz for approximately two years. In the meantime, the deadly disease of smallpox
spread from a carrier in Narváez's party to the native population of New
Spain, killing many.