Editing Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar (section)

==Early life==

Little is known about the early life of Velázquez.<ref>Kent, p. 307–308</ref> He was born in Cuéllar around 1465, in the [[Segovia]] region of Spain. For a time he was a member of the Spanish military and served in [[Naples]]. Afterward, he returned to Spain and lived in [[Seville]]. In September 1493, Velázquez was one of 1,500 men who sailed with Columbus on his second voyage to the New World. Velázquez never returned to Spain.<ref name=Florstedt>Florstedt 1942</ref>

Velázquez settled on the island of Hispaniola and survived the early hardships which killed many colonists or drove them back home. In time he demonstrated an aptitude for dealing with the political factions on the island. He was well regarded by [[Bartholomew Columbus]], the younger brother of Christopher and the administrator of the island from 1493 to 1500. When Bartholomew left the island for any length of time, he would make Velázquez acting governor of Hispaniola.<ref name="Florstedt" />

There is no record of Velázquez during [[Francisco de Bobadilla]]'s brief tenure as governor of the island but when [[Nicolás de Ovando]] was appointed to the post in 1501, Velázquez quickly became one of the governor's trusted lieutenants. In 1503, when a [[Taíno]] revolt broke out in the western provinces of the island, Velázquez was ordered to Jaragua where he quashed the rebellion.<ref name="Florstedt" />

After the revolt, Ovando determined that five new towns should be built in the rebellious territory. Velázquez was sent to the western end of the island to establish Salvatierra de la Zabana and perhaps other towns. Velázquez resided in Salvatierra de la Zabana and all five of the new settlements were placed under his administration. By 1511, Velázquez was one of the wealthiest men on Hispaniola. He held [[encomienda]]s at Verapaz, Salvatierra de la Zabana, and [[Santiago de los Caballeros|Santiago de Caballeros]], where he was a partner with an unidentified encomendero in mining enterprises.<ref name="Florstedt" /><ref name="Floyd">Floyd, p. 63, 81</ref>