6 7 ▁to ▁August ▁ 1 5 7 0 , ▁in ▁absence ▁of ▁official ▁governor ▁Pedro ▁Men énd ez ▁de ▁Av il és . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁governor ▁of ▁Fort ▁San ▁F eli pe , ▁in ▁Santa ▁El ena , ▁Florida , ▁in ▁ 1 5 6 6 ▁and ▁ 1 5 6 7 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Rod r igo ▁de ▁las ▁Al as ▁and ▁María ▁de ▁León , ▁the ▁first ▁records ▁of ▁his ▁presence ▁in ▁América ▁date ▁from ▁ 1 5 6 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 5 6 3 ▁he ▁was ▁present ▁as ▁General ▁in ▁the ▁Fle et ▁of ▁New ▁Spain , ▁which ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁obtain ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁gold ▁and ▁silver , ▁which ▁he ▁brought ▁to ▁Spain ▁and ▁shared ▁between ▁the ▁Crown ▁and ▁other ▁people . ▁As ▁friend ▁and ▁companion ▁of ▁Pedro ▁Men énd ez ▁de ▁Av il és , ▁he ▁accompanied ▁him ▁on ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁Florida ▁command ing ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁squad s , ▁fund ed ▁in ▁part ▁by ▁its ▁own ▁funds , ▁in ▁ 1 5 6 5 . ▁Thus , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁ships ▁and ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁Cant ab rian ▁Sea . ▁He ▁sold ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁property ▁and ▁helped ▁with ▁lo ans , ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁gather ▁more ▁than ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁duc ats , ▁allowing ▁him ▁to ▁ac quire ▁three ▁ships ▁and ▁equip ▁them ▁with ▁prov isions , ▁arms ▁and ▁am mun ition . ▁After ▁leaving