Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (* 1530 in Galicia, † 1592) was a Spanish navigator.

1568 he was involved in the discovery of the Solomon Islands by Alvaro de Mendaña de Neyra.

Gamboa was entrusted by the Viceroy of Peru, Francisco de Toledo, with the defense of all the Spanish ships and settlements on the Pacific coast. During this time Francis Drake led his forays through along the Peruvian and Mexican coast and it was assumed that he would return through the Strait of Magellan. Gamboa should stop him. With 11 ships, which were started in 1579 from Callao from, but he waited in vain in the Strait of Magellan to Drake, who had traveled back via the Cape of Good Hope. Gamboa returned in 1580 returned to Spain.

Philip II of Spain decided to Gamboa's report points to make secure the Strait of Magellan and sent 24 ships with 2,500 men on board under Gamboa and Diego Flores Valdez, a ride that was not happy for Gamboa: the fleet of eight vessels lost in the storm, and Valdez left Gamboa in dispute and traveled with 12 ships back to Spain.

Gamboa reached with the four remaining vessels in 1583 the Strait of Magellan, where he had built at a strategically favorable location, the Fort Felipe, later Puerto Hambre. He left a garrison of 300 people back in 1584 when he made ​​his way back to Europe. On the way he was captured by an English fleet to 1588 and held in England. His colony Fort Felipe was subsequently dissolved and its inhabitants either died of starvation or scattered to the winds.

After his release Gamboa turned to King Philip to advance his accusations against Diego Flores Valdez, but apparently without much effect, because Gamboa died in 1592 in poverty.

His life story was "Damn, Sarmiento! " By Martin yourself in his novel (1976 ) processed in literature.