De Balboa was a contemporary of Francisco Pizarro and fellow Spanish explorer in South America. Also born around 1475, he came to the New World in 1501 where he owned plantations in Hispaniola. He founded the town of Darien on the Gulf of Uraba in 1511.
In 1513, having heard stories of the gold of Peru, he led an expedition across Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean (Francisco Pizarro was also on this expedition). He was made Governor of Panama and Admiral of the South Sea by King Ferdinand of Spain. The new governor of Darien known as Pedrarias the Cruel, became jealous of de Balboa and plotted against him with Pizarro. In 1517, he was arrested, charged with treason and executed.
