Pedro de Menendez de Avilles
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Pedro de Menendez de Avilles was a 16th century Spanish admiral and pirate hunter, known most notably for his destruction of the French settlement of St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. Establishing a Spanish garrison of 200 men further up the coast, he sailed to the Georgia coast making contact with the local indians of St. Catherines [1] before returning to Florida and expanded Spanish power thoughout southeastern Florida. In 1667, he marched south encountering the Ais (Jece) as he reached the Indian River near presant day Vero Beach. The Ais, like the Tekesta and Calusa tribes, proved hostile to Spanish settlement as war continued on and off until 1670.
He later made contact with the less hostile Tekesta at their capital in el Portal and was able to negotiate for three chieftains to accompany him to Cuba as translators to the Arawak.
Although Avilles left behind Jesuit missionaries Brother Francisco de Villareal and Padre Rogel in an attempt to convert the Tekesta to Catholicism, the tribe were indifferent to their teachings and the Jesuits returned to St. Augustine after a year.
Eventually reaching Cuba, he was appointed as governor of the island shortly after his arrival. Consequently, the absence of Avilles would see Spain's military presence in the region decay to the extent that the British began moving into the region by the end of the century.
