Update this timeline entry

Ribault sailed for Florida

Source: Historical proof of the right of the Catholic King to the territory held to-day by the British King under the name of New Georgia #558

Project ID

Chapter

Timeline title

Start date

End date

Filename received

Filename assigned

Content

CHAPTER II CONCERNING THE CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT OF FLORIDA BY THE SPANIARDS

1.	Entrance of the French into the Territory of Florida: The pleasant and fertile nature of the country of Florida coming to his notice, the French admiral, Gaspar Coligny, head and protector of the heretics, moved by cupidity, gave patents to Jean Ribaut and sent him with two ships provided with food, munitions, and Huguenot soldiers to occupy the region. This was done in the name of his King, who was ignorant of the expedition, for it is not to be presumed that he would permit lands of the King of Spain to be usurped when the latter was aiding him, with Spanish and Italian troops and with his authority and money, to put down the heretics who were agitating and disquieting the kingdom of France. Leaving the port of Dieppe on the second of February, 1562, after a voyage of two months Ribaut came in sight of land in latitude 29°, a little more or less. Sailing along the coast to the north, he entered a river which he called May.* [Arredondo note * It is situated twelve leagues north of San Agustin, in 30° 26'. It was afterwards called San Juan, which is the name it now bears (St. Johns).] Being peaceably received by the Indians, he erected a column on which he affixed the arms of the King of France. From here he continued north, passing in and out of the sounds and rivers, t[Arredondo note t He gave to others the names of those of the realms of France, and the largest, which Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon had called Santa Elena forty-eight years before, he named Port Royal.] Finally he established a fort in the province of Orista, at the port of Santa Elena, in 32° 30', naming it Carolina, for his King, Charles IX, who was then reigning in France. Leaving twenty-six men, with Albert Ribaut as commander, with the rest he set sail for France, taking Rene Laudonniere, his second in command, intending to return with more soldiers and provisions, in order to explore the entire province of Chicora, which had been discovered and trodden so many years before by Lucas Vasquez de Ayllón, as has been seen in Chapter I, paragraph 2. 12.