Pedro Arias Dávila

Pedro Arias de Avila ( Pedrarias Davila also known as Pedro Arias Dávila, and ) (* around 1468 in Segovia, Spain, † March 6, 1531 in Leon, Nicaragua) was a Spanish colonial official and conquerors.

1514 Dávila was appointed by the Spanish King Ferdinand governor of Darién in present-day Panama, where he was Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the discoverer of the Pacific succeed. Balboa, who was also his son, was given control over another territory. A long dispute between the two men and jealousy Davila finally culminated in the false accusation of treason, which is why Balboa was executed on January 21, 1519 by decapitation.

In the following years he expanded the Spanish possessions on the American mainland, and put on many bases, which allowed the study of the Central American West Coast and the subsequent conquest of the Inca Empire. In 1519 he founded Panama City.

Dávila was initially a promoter of conquistador Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro, before he fell out with these. In 1526 he was replaced as Governor of Panama and retired in consequence entirely from politics.

Davila's reign is known as unjust and authoritarian phase, due to his ruthless style, he was also known as " Pedrarias the Cruel ".