Francisco de Córcoles y Martínez

Early years

In his youth Córcoles y Martínez joined to the Spanish Royal Army. He had a leading role in the military, which allowed him to rise from Cadet to Sergeant-Major and, later, Captain.

In 1685, Córcoles y Martínez move to Golf Coast, where he excelled - having an important role - in the Spanish search of Cavelier de La Salle´s colony.

So, he participated for more than twelve years in the military campaigns of Catalonia, Ceuta, Palermos, Gibraltar and Milan and he was a prisoner of war in France.

Governor of Florida

As a reward for his services, Córcoles y Martínez was appointed governor and Captain General of Spanish Florida in April 9, 1706.

In 1707, while Córcoles y Martinez governed Florida, much of Pensacola, Florida was burned when Fort San Carlos de Austria was besieged by a large Amerindian force.

As governor of Florida he fought against several troops of the Province of Carolina in defense to the Spanish province, leading volunteers and some boats to a Franco-Spanish expedition in September 1706. So, in 7th in this months, he leaded six smaller ships, 30 soldiers of infantry and 50 Christians Amerindian volunteers from the Timucua, Apalachee, and Tequassa tribes.

During his administration, attacks of Greeks (and some Englishmen who accompanied them) against the population of Florida were developed. Córcoles and Martinez, worried about the safety of the people of Florida, ordered send a small rear guard to San Diego de Salamototo to protect the population there, but when the Greeks begun to attack this place, he ordened the population to retire to Saint Augustine, because its fortress could defend the entire population.

In addition, Martinez built a hard line palisades to help to protect the population in Saint Augustine.

The walls of the Fort in which he had worked could provide protection to the citizens (settlers, his descendants and loyals Native Americans) of Florida. It was the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, which ended the war. During his government in Florida, he had troubles with other notable peoples in Florida. So, he had faced with the second-in-command of the Florida presidio (and later governor) Juan de Ayala y Escobar, because he captured English ships of food in South Carolina and was selling the products at a high price for a hungry population. The confrontation was developed in the public square of Saint Augustine, where Córcoles y Martínez tried to imprison Ayala, but the whole garrison threatened to mutiny and he not imprison him. (Ayala would who replace him as governor in 1716).

In addition, in 1715, Córcoles y Martínez suggested sending two hundred Galician families from Spain to Florida (specifically to Saint Augustine) in order of increate the reduced Spanish population of the province and promote agriculture. So, the colonists were used to working in a near Apalachee area. Thus, he get that the foodstuffs, which usually were purchased in New Spain or Cuba, were grown in Florida and increase the reduced supplies of the garrison. In addition, the garrison regained their salary.

Although the plan was greatly welcomed by the Spanish community of Florida, the humble Galicians rejected the offer of the crown to freely travel to Florida and obtain assistance in cash money, seeds, and land. Florida was not considered as a rich province in land quality. Galicians protested to the Captain General of Galicia, thinking that Saint Augustine was unable to relieve their hunger, so they preferred to die in Spain rather than in Saint Augustine, since in both cases, in its perception, would die of hunger. So, the plan was not carried out and the Galician families were not carried to Florida.

Córcoles y Martínez left the charge of governor of Florida in July 13, 1716, being replaced by Juan de Ayala y Escobar.