Diego de Nicuesa

Diego de Nicuesa was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. In 1506, he was given the job of governing Costa Rica, but ran aground off the coast of Panama. He made his way north overland, against resistance from the native population. The combination of guerrilla warfare and tropical disease killed half his expedition before he gave up.

Around 1509, under a land grant from the Spanish king, he became founder and governor of Castilla de Oro, in what is now Panama, one of the first two Spanish settlements on the American mainland (different sources give dates from 1508 to 1510).

In 1510, he founded the colony of Nombre de Dios. The colony suffered from hunger, hostile indians and illness, and was ultimately saved by the arrival of Colmenares, a companion who was coming after with supplies. The party abandoned the colony to sail to the more prosperous colony of Santa Maria la Antigua de Darién, a colony established by the conquistador Balboa without the knowledge of Nicuesa. Informed by Colmenares of the new colony established within the borders of his territory, he headed to the colony to punish the colonists and take possession of it.

But the colonists of Santa Maria were warned of the governors purposes, and denied him to enter the town. While most of Nicuesa's men were granted the right to stay in Balboa's colony, Nicuesa and 17 loyal followers were sent to sea. Nicuesa headed for Santo Domingo, but the ship disappeared, never to be found again.

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Name	Nicuesa, Diego De
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Date of death	1511
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