Fort Caroline and St. Augustine
1492 Columbus discovers the New World.
1513 Florida discovered by Ponce de Leon.
1562, May 2 Ribault a French Huguenot, sent to the New World by Gaspard de Coligny, Admiral of France, discovers the St. Johns he "caused a pillar of hard stone to be planted within saye River, and not far from the mouth of the same upon a little sandie knappe, in which pillar the Armes of the King of France were carved and engraved." He sails further north to Port Royal S.C., and leaves 26 men there founding Charlesfort. These men later abandon the fort and are found adrift near England after having cannibalized one of their group. Ribault returns to France.
1562 July Ribault arrives in France to find that the Wars of Religion have begun. He is at the seige of Dieppe, when it falls to Catholics he flees to England, later imprisoned there.
1563 May French War ended by Treaty of Amboise
1564, April 22 Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere, Ribault's leutinenat on the first voyage sails for St. Johns to establish colony, Ribault is still in prision in England.
1564 June 22-25 The French arrive at St. Johns. The Indians have left food and flowers at the column in some sort of worship. After some time Laudonniere establishs Fort Caroline under St. Johns Bluff. Colony has problems with Indians, several plots against de Luadonniere's life, and mutinies. Some of the Mutineers steal the colonies boats and raid the Spainish West Indies. The French failed to conserve supplies and began to barter for food with the Indians, this led to the taking of the local King as hostage. Laudonniere decides to return to France. They begin to build a boat.
1565, August 3 John Hawkins arrives looking for Charlesfort, trades food and a ship to the French for guns and ammo.
1565, August 28 As they prepare to leave Ribault arrives with a relief fleet of 600 colonists and 7 ships. He relives Laudonniere of command. Several colonists who had returned to France (the earlier mutineers) claimed Laudonniere believed himself the king of New France. Ribault has been ordered to defend the colony and prevent the Spainish from founding one here.
1565, August 28 Spanish under Pedro Menendez de Aviles lands at the River of Dolphins with 19 ships, 1054 men including craftsmen, wives, children and livestock.
1565, September 5 Spanish ships arrive at the St. Johns. French sail off and Spanish who are unable to catch them return to the River of Dolphins.
1565, September 8 St. Augustine founded.
1565, September 10 Ribault ordered by Coligny not to allow Menendez to settle takes his ships to St. Augustine despite a coming storm.
1565, September 11 Ribault arrives at St. Augustine and almost catches Menendez in a small boat offshore. The Spanish ships sail for Hispaniola. Unable to cross the bar Ribault prepares to return to the St. Johns when the storm hits and scatters his ships southward. Menendez marches overland in the storm to Ft. Caroline.
1565 Sept. 20 Menendez takes Fort Caroline, some French escape including Laudonniere. 70 women and children aer captured. Others are hanged as heretic Lutherans. Menendez renames the fort Ft. Mateo since it was taken on St. Matthew's day.
1565. Sept 28 First Matanzas massacre. Ft. Mateo burns and is rebuilt later.
1565, Oct 12 Second Matanzas massacre. Ribault killed.