The Voyages of Ponce de León: Scholarly Perspectives

The voyages of Juan Ponce de Leon and his expeditions in Florida have long held a romantic and mythic place in American history. Speculation about his first landing in Florida, about the legend of the Fountain of Youth, and about Ponce de Leon's reasons for setting sail to Florida have engaged chroniclers, historians, and even sailing masters for five centuries. In this volume, the Florida Historical Society has assembled articles by leading scholars who offer their perspectives on the voyages and trace changing views on Ponce de Leon as historians discover new information and reevaluate older works. This collection includes both new work and articles previously published in the FHS academic journal the FLorida Historical Quarterly. The contributors include Eugene Lyon with Brandon Josef Sqinavel. J. Michael Francis. Jerald Milanich. Nara Milanich. T. Frederick Davis, Douglas T. Peck, and Amanda J. Snyder.