3IENENDEZ DE AVILES, PEDRO, 1519-74; b. at Aviles; Spain. Educated to the sea, be for many years commanded a privateer which was the terror of the French corsairs. By Philip II. he wa.s given a commission in the regular navy and made capt. gen. of the India fleets. In this position he won important victories over the pirates, and was of great service in successfully- transporting to Philip the reinforcements which carried the day at the battle of St. Quentin. On June 29,1565, he sailed from Cadiz with a fleet of 34 vessels with the intention of founding a colony in Florida, of which he had been appointed adelantado. The French Huguenots had already established a foot-hold near the mouth of the St. John's'river, under the leadership of Ribault. The Spaniards were by far the most powerful in ntnnbers and equipments, and in the ensiling contest the main French stronghold, fort Caroline, was captured, many of the colonists w-ere massacred, and when those who had escaped to the ships of Ribault were wrecked and in a starving condition, Menendez received their surrender, promising to spare them: but, with a-treachery- and cruelty almost beyond belief, violated his p-liclited word and slew nearly all of them: 3Iany were hanged and left bearing inscriptions stating that they- were killed " not as Frenchmen, but as lwretics." soot after, the atrocity
was avenged by the French adventurers under Dominique de Gourgues, the Spaniards were hung upon the same trees, with placards stating-, that they were executed not as Spaniards but as cut-throats and murderers." It was in this expedition that St. Augus tine was discovered and named. Other posts were established hy- 'Menendez further up the coast, as at cape Canaveial and Port Royal. Menendez returned to Spain, but still controlled the affairs of the new colonies. In 1572 be a„,eain visited the western continent and carried his explorations still further. He was recalled and ordered to the command of a fleet to be employed in the war with the Low Countries; but died at Santander while engaged in fitting out his vessels.