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===Between voyages=== Upon his return to Puerto Rico, Ponce de León found the island in turmoil. A party of [[Island Caribs|Caribs]] from a neighboring island had attacked the settlement of [[San Juan, Puerto Rico#History|Caparra]], killed several Spaniards and burned it to the ground. Ponce de León's own [[Caparra Archaeological Site|house]] was destroyed and his family narrowly escaped. [[Diego Colón|Colón]] used the attack as a pretext for renewing hostilities against the local [[Taíno people|Taíno]] tribes. The explorer suspected that Colón was working to further undermine his position on the island and perhaps even to take his claims for the newly discovered Florida.{{sfn|Fuson|2000|pp=121–124}} Ponce de León decided he should return to Spain and personally report the results of his recent expedition. He left Puerto Rico in April 1514 and was warmly received by Ferdinand when he arrived at court in [[Valladolid]]. There he was knighted,{{sfn|Marley|2008|pp=9–11}} and given a personal [[coat of arms]], becoming the first conquistador to receive these honors. He also visited [[Casa de Contratación]] in [[Seville]], which was the central bureaucracy and clearinghouse for all of Spain's activities in the New World. The Casa took detailed notes of his discoveries and added them to the [[Padrón Real]], a master map which served as the basis for official navigation charts provided to Spanish captains and pilots.{{sfn|Fuson|2000|pp=125–127}} During his stay in Spain, a new contract{{sfn|Fuson|2000|pp=129–131}} was drawn up for Ponce de León confirming his rights to settle and govern [[Bimini|Beniny]] and Florida,<ref name="Shepherd1907">{{cite book|author=William Robert Shepherd|title=Guide to the Materials for the History of the United States in Spanish Archives|url=https://archive.org/details/guidetomaterial01shepgoog|year=1907|publisher=Carnegie institution of Washington|page=[https://archive.org/details/guidetomaterial01shepgoog/page/n76 68]}}</ref> which was then presumed to be an island. In addition to the usual directions for sharing gold and other valuables with the king, the contract was one of the first to stipulate that the [[Requerimiento]] was to be read to the inhabitants of the islands prior to their conquest. Ponce de León was also ordered to organize an armada for the purpose of attacking and subduing the Caribs, who continued to attack Spanish settlements in the Caribbean.{{sfn|Fuson|2000|pp=128–132}} [[File:Juan Ponce de León tomb - Catedral de San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico - DSC06849.JPG|thumb|upright|The Tomb of Ponce de León in the [[Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista (San Juan, Puerto Rico)|Cathedral of San Juan Bautista]] in San Juan, Puerto Rico]] Three ships were purchased for his armada and after repairs and provisioning Ponce de León left Spain on 14 May 1515 with his little fleet. The record of his activities against the Caribs is vague. There was one engagement in [[Guadeloupe]] on his return to the area and possibly two or three other encounters.{{sfn|Fuson|2000|pp=136–138}} The campaign came to an abrupt end in 1516 when Ferdinand died. The king had been a strong supporter and Ponce de León felt it was imperative he return to Spain and defend his privileges and titles. He did receive assurances of support from Cardinal [[Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros]], the regent appointed to govern Castile, but it was nearly two years before he was able to return home to Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, there had been at least two unauthorized voyages to "his" Florida both ending in repulsion by the native Calusa or Tequesta warriors. Ponce de León realized he had to act soon if he was to maintain his claim.
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