Pedrarias Dávila (Pedro Arias de Ávila) y Ortiz de Cota, was a Spanish colonial administrator. He led the first great Spanish expedition in the New World.

In 1519 he founded Panama City and moved his capital there in 1524. Moreover, he was a party to the original agreement with Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro which brought about the discovery of Peru, but withdrew (1526) for a small compensation, having lost confidence in the outcome. In the same year he was superseded as Governor of Panama by Pedro de los Ríos, and retired to León in Nicaragua, where he was named its new governor on July 1, 1527. Here he lived for the rest of his life until he died at the age of 91 on March 6, 1531.

He left an unenviable record, as a man of unreliable character, cruel, and unscrupulous. Through his foundation of Panama, however, he laid the basis for the discovery of South America's west coast and the subsequent conquest of Peru.... More • http://en.wikipedia. ... %C3%A1vila View • Books • Images • Videos • Search Related • Conquistadors • Explorers • Founders • Soldiers • Central America • Colombia • Colonialism • Exploration • Governors • New Spain • Panama • Renaissance • Spain • 15th Century • 16th Century • People