
Juan Martínez de Ampiés (also spelled ''Ampués''; Martínez sometimes given as ''Martín''; died 1533), as an officer of the Spanish army, was the first
governor of Venezuela Province (1527-1529). He founded
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón, Falcón State and the second oldest city in Venezuela (after Cumaná). It was founded on July 26, 1527, by Juan de Ampíes as Santa Ana de Coro. It was historically known as Neu-Augsburg (from 1528 to 1546) by the ...
in July 1527. He left Venezuela after the
Welser
Welser was a German banking and merchant family, originally a patrician family based in Augsburg and Nuremberg, that rose to great prominence in international high finance in the 16th century as bankers to the Habsburgs and financiers of Cha ...
s asserted the colonial rights they had negotiated with
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...
(and
King of Spain
The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country.
The Spanish ...
), launching the
German colonization of the Americas
German attempts at the colonization of the Americas consisted of German Venezuela (, also ), Saint Thomas (Brandenburg colony), St. Thomas and Vieques, Puerto Rico, Crab Island in the 16th and 17th centuries.
History
Klein-Venedig
''Klein-V ...
.
He was also
governor of Santo Domingo (the
Captaincy General of Santo Domingo
The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo ( ) was the first Captaincy in the New World, established by Spain in 1492 on the island of Hispaniola. The Captaincy, under the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo, was granted administra ...
).
By 1514, the
Hispaniola
Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
treasury staff put in place by
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...
, included
Gil González Dávila
Gil González Dávila or Gil González de Ávila (b. about 1480 – 21 April 1526) was a Spanish conquistador and the first European to explore present-day Nicaragua.
Early career
González Dávila first appears in historical records in 1508, w ...
, who had replaced Cristóbal de Cuéllar as contador, Miguel de Pasamonte, who had been named treasurer general of the Indies in April 1508, and Juan de Ampíes as factor.
References
Royal governors of Venezuela
1533 deaths
Year of birth unknown
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