| Juan Márquez Cabrera | |
|---|---|
| 28º Governor of La Florida | |
| In office 1680–1687 |
|
| Preceded by | Pablo de Hita y Salazar |
| Succeeded by | Diego de Quiroga y Losado |
| Personal details | |
| Born | unknown unknown |
| Died | unknown unknown |
| Profession | governor |
Juan Marquez Cabrera was the governor of Florida between 1680 and 1687.
Juan Márquez Cabrera was appointed governor in 1680, replacing Pablo de Hita y Salazar. He arrived to province November 30 of that year. On his arrived, Hita y Salazar gave him a report that included a detailed outline of the progress made by him in St. Augustine until then. In this report, he explained the many changes he had in the castle. However, none of these changes corresponded to the original plans, that commissioned him the crown.
Governor Cabrera made a series of investigations that concluded with the numbers of materials and structures carried out in St. Augustine by Hita y Salazar and he said the report that gave him Hita y Salazar was false. His engineers found many errors in the structures which he commanded to do, especially in reference to some walls and bastions, which were unstable because their bases were incomplete.[1] He, as the three previous governors, worked hard at building the Castillo de San Marcos. In 1683 he formed a company of free mulatto and black militia in St. Augustine. It consisted of 42 men and six officers. In August 1686 Juan Marques Cabrera went on the attack and destroyed the English settlement at Port Royal, but a storm stopped their movement to Charles Town. He leave the office in 1687.[2]