VELAZQUEZ DE CUELLAR, DIEGO

born c. 1465, , Cullar, Spain died 1524, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba conquistador and first Spanish governor of Cuba. Velzquez sailed to the New World in 1493 on the second voyage of Christopher Columbus. Columbus' eldest son, Diego Columbus, later entrusted Velzquez with the conquest of Cuba under the title of adelantado (governor) and, with Hernn Corts, Velzquez departed for Cuba in 1511. In the next four years he founded the settlements of Baracoa, Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba, and Havana (La Habana). After his conquests were completed about 1514, he encouraged colonization and became governor of Cuba. Velzquez organized the exploration of the coasts of the Yucatn Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico led by Hernndez de Crdoba (1517) and Juan de Grijalba (1518), and in 1518 he appointed Corts leader of a new expedition to conquer the mainland of Mexico. Velzquez became suspicious of the independent-minded Corts and rescinded the order; Corts sailed without permission in 1519, and Velzquez sent two unsuccessful expeditions against him. One was so badly defeated that its commander, Pnfilo de Narvez, and his army went over to Corts' side. Velzquez complained to the Spanish court, but, after Aztec riches started to arrive from Mexico, he was instructed to ignore Corts.