Gaspar de Espinosa

Gaspar de Espinosa y Luna (Medina de Rio Seco, Spain, 1484 - Cuzco, Peru, 14 February 1537) was an explorer, conquistador and Spanish politician. He participated in the expedition of Pedrarias Davila to Darién and was appointed mayor of Nuestra Señora de la Antigua. He initiated proceedings against Vasco Núñez de Balboa and conquered part of current Costa Rica. After living some time in Spain, he returned to America to join Francisco Pizarro and Almagro in the conquest of the Inca Empire.

He was born into a family of merchants and bankers, whose business was to direct trade between Flanders and Castilla from Medina de Rio Seco. Later settled in Seville, where trade with the Indies were allowed to increase his fortune. Later, his family founded a bank that soon became the benchmark for commercial activity that took place in the rest of Europe and also in the New World.

Already in middle age, he sailed for the Spanish and in 1513 was elected mayor of Castilla del Oro. A year later he formed part of the issuance of Pedrarias Dávila to Darién. Participated in the founding of the city of Panama (1519) and was appointed mayor of Santa Maria la Antigua. He led the expedition to the Pacific coast of Central America and was one of the architects of the discovery of the Gulf of Nicoya.

He led an expedition to Veragua with Hernando de Soto in 1520.

He returned to Spain, but soon became ruler of Santo Domingo and Panama, and returned to sail to America.

Finally, went to Peru where he financed with the help of his family, the expedition of Pizarro and Almagro, and tried, unsuccessfully, reconciliation between the two.

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