In the wake of 40 years of failure, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, an Admiral, not a Conquistador, is the first Spaniard to successfully settle Florida. Now he will try to rapidly expand Spanish Florida, all the while fighting the great Timucua Chief Saturiwa, putting down constant mutinies, and hunting down Chief Carlos II of the Calusa, who sacrifices shipwrecked Spaniards to an Idol.

French Hugeonots have made a secret colony in the land the Spanish call Florida and claim as their own. The King of Spain calls upon Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to oust the French and finally create a Spanish settlement in Florida, a feat many have tried and most have died undertaking, all ending in massive failure. Menendez will now have to quickly raise a fleet, gather colonists and race the French Fleet, led by rival Jean Ribault, to Florida. Menendez will carry out a Holy War in the New World, the effects of which reverberate outward to us today.

Tristán de Luna y Arellano is ordered by the Viceroy of New Spain to construct a series of forts and settlements from the Gulf, to the Mound Builders at Coosa, to Santa Elena in modern day South Carolina. With 1500 settlers, only an act of God could derail, De Luna's plans.

For more information on the archeological finds related to De Luna see this wonderful podcast: https://thehistoryoftheamericans.com/calamity-at-pensacola/