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Nicolás de Ovando Appointed Governor of Hispaniola (1502)

Type Event Region Caribbean Time 1502–1509

In 1502, Spain appointed Nicolás de Ovando to replace Bobadilla as governor of Hispaniola, arriving with a large migrant fleet.

Timeline

  1. 1501–1502Santo Domingo (Nueva Isabela) · Santo DomingoFerdinand II appointed Ovando governor to rectify the chaotic colonial situation; Ovando arrived in February 1502 with about 2,500 Spanish settlers, replacing Bobadilla and beginning to rebuild the administrative center.
  2. 1502–1505Santo Domingo · Santo DomingoOvando moved the capital to the mouth of the Ozama River and named it Santo Domingo, laying out streets and churches on the Spanish town model; at the same time he suppressed Taíno resistance, redistributed land, and dispatched expeditions to Jamaica and elsewhere.
  3. 1503–1509Hispaniola · HispaniolaDuring his term he implemented the repartimiento labor allocation, strengthened the encomienda tribute system, and, under royal authorization, received the first African slaves brought to the Americas to make up for the labor shortage caused by the sharp decline of the Taíno population.

Sources