Gaspar de Espinosa


Gaspar de Espinosa y Luna 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.

In the Indies

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 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.
Espinosa's family was closely related to the court during the first half of the sixteenth century, it came as much of the funding for the expedition to the Moluccas conducted in 1525, and had previously provided funding for the conquest of Peru sufragrar.