Vasco Núñez de Balboa's Pacific Expedition
September 25, 1513 · Early Modern
On September 1, 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa led an expedition of 190 Spaniards and hundreds of indigenous guides across the Isthmus of Panama. On September 25, 1513, from atop Mount Urrucallala, Balboa became the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. Four days later, on September 29, he reached the shores of the Gulf of San Miguel, claiming the ocean and all its shores for Spain. This expedition marked the beginning of Spanish exploration of the Pacific and accelerated the colonization of the Americas.
Key Figures
Francisco PizarroVasco Núñez de Balboa
Locations
Santa María la Antigua del DariénGulf of San MiguelMount Urrucallala
Topics
spainpanamapacificbalboaexploration
Connected Events — 2 Connections
Balboa's Pacific discovery provided the geographic knowledge that enabled Pizarro's Pacific coast strategy, culminating in his capture of Atahualpa at Cajamarca Battle of Cajamarca
Balboa's expedition gave Pizarro his first taste of the Pacific coast and indigenous warfare, experience he used to plan his later conquest of the weakened Inca Empire during their civil war Inca Civil War Begins
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