Nicolás de Cardona was a Spanish entrepreneur and adventurer with residence in Seville, who was involved in the exploration of the Western coast of the North American continent.
Biography
In 1610, Nicolas sailed from Spain to the Americas, as a captain in the fleet of General Juan Gutiérrez de Garibay. Nicolas commanded six ships together with Captain Francisco Basilio.
Nicolas was put in charge of the exploration. He went to Acapulco end of 1614 and built three frigates there, the San Antonio, San Francisco and San Diego.
During the following years, Nicolas attempted in vain to establish a pearl business,[1] and fought against Dutch intrusions by Joris van Spilbergen.
Ruined, Nicolas went back to Spain to obtain more funds, and once again set to develop the pearling business, receiving Royal Orders in May 1618.
He finally returned to Spain in 1623, where he published in 1624 his Hydrographic and Geographic Descriptions of Many northern and Southern Lands and Seas in the Indies, Specifically of the Discovery of the Kingdom of California.