GONZALO JIMENEZ DE QUESADA 

Born in Granada in 1495, Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada grew up to become an incredible Spanish adventurer.  He lived to be 102 years of age and during his life, he accomplished many great things.  Quesada started his work by going to school in Seville where he studied law.  Then in 1535, he was appointed Chief Justice of Santa Maria, South America.  Eager to explore the country’s interior, he commanded an expedition, leaving in the summer of 1536 with more than 900 men. 

Unfortunately, Quesada was faced with a number of hardships and a good year of fighting with the Indians.  However, two years later, Quesada conquered the plateau of Bogota where he founded a city that he named Santa Fe.  Soon after this, a number of other adventurers and explorers came to Bogota to include one of Pizarro’s officers by the name of Sebastian de Velalcazar and Nicolas Federmann.  This led to negotiations between the three men whereby Federmann agreed that for the price of $10,000, he would turn over his forces to Quesada.  For Velalcazar, his agreement was to retire to southwest provinces. 

Quesada left for Europe, leaving his brother, Hernan Perez in charge.  Meeting with the Ghent emperor, he displayed many luxuries, offending the emperor.  In addition, his former chief, Lugo, had friends that opposed Quesada.  With this, one of Lugo’s sons was granted position of governor, not Quesada.  Soon after this occurred, Quesada was granted permission to join his brother back in the New World.  Unfortunately, he was horribly badgered by the new governor, which let to him being imprisoned and eventually, exiled.  Determine to receive justice in Spain Quesada went back to New Granada as commander in chief of the troops. 

By 1569, while under governorship of Diaz de Lena, Quesada set out on another expedition whereby he was unsuccessful in his attempt to discover El Dorado while returning home from the Guaviare River.  After this failure, Quesada was reinstated as Captain General, soon dying of leprosy as a centenarian.  After his death, his remains were taken to the cathedral in the city of Bogota.