At the conclusion of the wars of Reconquista, Spain found herself with financial problems. Her leading hidalgos, after spending many years fighting along side the Catholic Majesties and neglecting their lands, were also impoverished, with they lands devastated. The crown was not able to offer any form of payment for the long years of service, but did offer them the chance to explore, conquer and find wealth in the New World, just discovered by Columbus. His connections allowed him to join Christopher Columbus on his Second Voyage of Exploration to the New World in 1493. He signed up as one of the many gentlemen volunteers on the venture. Leaving behind his young bride, Inez, he sailed in September aboard the fleet of 17 ships, that made up the expedition. 

They found the settlement deserted, and leaned from the natives that the Spaniards left behind, did not heed their Admirals orders, but proceeded to cheat and steal from the natives. They took their women, and enslaved the natives, to do all of the work, that the gentlemen, would not do for themselves. Eventually the natives tired of their enslavement, revolted, and killed all the Spaniards. 

The Spaniards did not learn from the happenings at Navidad, but continued to abuse the natives, through out their conquest of the Americas. When Columbus established a new settlement, some 30 miles away, he was not able to get his men to plant crops to sustain the colony. This was a job below their station, and they proceeded to enslave the natives, to do this type of work, and anything else. They basically wanted to be waited on, with the natives doing all of the planting, cleaning, cooking, mining, etc. The Spaniards were given land grants in the area, and with the land came the natives that lived on the land. The natives became the slaves of the land owner, and did all of the work. The land owner was responsible to his natives, for providing instruction in Catholicism and provide for their basic needs. This type of land grant with native labor, was referred to by the Spaniards, as repartimiento. Queen Isabella, because of her religious beliefs, was opposed to any type of enslavement of the natives. King Ferdinand, did not care, and encouraged the system, for the prosperity of his kingdom.

Ponce de León's family, (wife, son and daughter), joined him in Española, but they did not stay there very long.

On June 15, 1508, the viceroy of Española, granted Juan Ponce de León the privilege to explore and subjugate the island of San Juan Bautista, an island that he had been to before. In July 12, PL departed the settlement of Santo Domingo, and sailed to Salvaleón de Higüey to take on provisions and settlers. He finally sailed out of the Port of Yuma, with 42 soldiers and 8 sailors. On the 3rd of August, he was hit by a storm that almost sank the ship, forcing him to land on the coast of Española to fix the ship. The damage to his ship was also responsible for the loss of some of his provisions. Once the storm was over, they sailed again. On the Isla de la Mona, he was informed by some of the natives, of the island of San Juan Bautista. 

On August 12th, 1508, they landed at the mouth of the Toa River (66º 15' Lat), on the northern coast of San Juan and about 10 miles from the present capital, San Juan of Puerto Rico. Here he constructed some huts, and it was the first Spanish settlement on the island. In September, he started the construction of the first fort, in a bay located about 8 miles to the east. This bay had an excellent harbor, and he gave it the name of Puerto Rico. The ruins of this fort are still visible today, in the town of Pueblo Viejo, between San Juan and Bayamón. This fort was constructed with palisades made of rocks, gravel, shells, and coquina, had terraced flat roofs and barricades in front of the main gate, that were 7 tapias high (I have not been able to determine how high is a tapia. My Velázquez Spanish-English Dictionary defines tapia as a mud wall containing 50 square feet). These walls were covered with stucco, inside and out.

Ponce de León was able to subjugate the Taino Indians within a year, due to cooperation of the local cacique and the help of his mother. The mother of the cacique, advised her son, to cooperate with the Spaniards, and not make war with them. That their power was to powerful and it would be better to submit to them peacefully than be defeated in war.

After building a fortified capital, Villa de San German, near Añasco Bay,  his family joined him in San Juan. When Ovando returned to Spain, he praised Ponce de León and told the King, all about what was going on in San Juan and how good of a job Ponce de León was doing. In gratitude, the King appointed him Adelantado (governor). 

On February 23, 1512, Ponce de León received approval for the expedition of the land known as Bimini, and search for the Fountain of Youth, by his friend, Ovando. He returned from his voyage, on October 12^th, 1513. The trip did not prove to be very successful in the acquisition of gold and treasure, but he did discover Florida, and some of the Bahamas Islands.

Early in 1514, he departed to Spain, to present his findings to the King. He also took some 5,000 in gold pesos to help insure the continuation of his repartimiento. He was authorized to return to those lands and colonize the islands of Florida (at the time, Florida was thought to be an island) and Bimini.

On his return to Puerto Rico, he found that there was trouble with the Carib Indians. They had been raiding the Puerto Rico, and taking captives (Spaniards and Tainos) back to their home for use as slaves and food. He had to call upon the Puerto Rican Militia and some Regular soldiers to go after the Caribs and reclaimed their hostages and punish them. They sailed into the Lesser Antilles, and succeed in killing many Caribs, and capturing some women and children, to bring back to Puerto Rico as slaves.

His next duty, once has was back in Puerto Rico, was to move the capital of the island. Up to then, San German was the capital, but he was more interested in a site, where the city of San Juan is located. He finally left to colonize Florida in February, 1521.