May 18

A veteran of Columbus’s voyages, Alonso de Ojeda obtained royal backing to explore new lands in the wake of Spain’s early successes in the New World. On May 18, 1499, he departed Cádiz with a fleet of three ships, aiming to discover riches and establish Spanish claims. Ojeda’s expedition navigated along the northeastern coast of South America, making contact with indigenous tribes and producing some of the first European maps of Venezuela’s shoreline. Although his venture did not yield vast treasures, it laid the groundwork for subsequent colonization efforts. The voyage enhanced European geographic knowledge and intensified the race for overseas empires.