Visual Timeline: Spanish Treasure Fleets

To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom.

1510 CE 1520 CE 1530 CE 1540 CE 1550 CE 1560 CE 1570 CE 1580 CE 1590 CE 1600 CE 1610 CE 1620 CE 1630 CE 1640 CE 1650 CE 1660 CE 1670 CE 1680 CE 1690 CE 1700 CE 1710 CE 1720 CE 1730 CE 1740 CE 1750 CE 1760 CE 1770 CE 1780 CE 1790 CE 1800 CE 1810 CE  
 
 
1510 CE: The Spanish found Nombre de Dios in Panama.
 
 
1519 CE: The Spanish found the city of Panama.
 
 
1519 CE: Veracruz, Mexico is founded by Hernán Cortés.
 
 
1520 CE - 1789 CE: Spanish treasure fleets transport the riches of the Americas to Spain.
 
 
1521 CE: The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan falls into the hands of Spanish forces led by Hernán Cortés.
 
1522 CE: Jean de Fleury (aka Florin) captures three Spanish treasure ships off Cape Vincent.
 
1530 CE: The first Spanish galleons come into operation.
 
 
1533 CE: Francisco Pizarro takes the Inca capital of Cuzco.
 
 
1555 CE: Captain-General Pedro Menendez de Avilés begins a system of large and escorted convoys for the Spanish treasure fleets.
 
 
1555 CE: The French privateer Jacques de Sores brutally attacks Havana.
 
 
1565 CE - 1815 CE: The Manila galleons each year take eastern trade goods from Manila to Acapulco (and return with American silver).
 
 
1572 CE - 1573 CE: Francis Drake explores Panama and seizes a Spanish silver mule train.
 
 
1579 CE: Francis Drake captures the Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (aka Cacafuego).
 
1585 CE - 1587 CE: Sir Francis Drake attacks Spanish vessels and ports in the Spanish Main.
 
 
1587 CE: The English privateer Thomas Cavendish captures the Manila galleon Great Saint Anna (actually a carrack).
 
1595 CE: John Hawkins and Francis Drake lead an unsuccessful expedition against Spanish ships and settlements in Panama and the Caribbean.
 
 
1596 CE: Portobelo replaces Nombre de Dios as the chief Atlantic port in Panama.
 
1620 CE - 1697 CE: Buccaneers operate in the Caribbean and attack both ports and ships along the Spanish Main.
 
1622 CE: The Nuestra Señora de Atocha Spanish treasure ship is wrecked in a storm off the Florida Keys.
 
 
1628 CE: A Dutch force led by Admiral Hein captures the entire New Spain treasure fleet on its way to Havana.
 
 
1668 CE: A buccaneer force led by Henry Morgan attacks and captures Portobelo on the Spanish Main.
 
 
1671 CE: A buccaneer force led by Henry Morgan attacks and captures the port of Panama on the Spanish Main.
 
1681 CE: The Nuestra Señora de Encarnación Spanish treasure ship is wrecked in a storm off the coast of Panama.
 
 
1683 CE: Laurens De Graaf leads a buccaneer attack on Veracruz on the Spanish Main.
 
 
1697 CE: The conquest of the Maya Civilization completed by the Spanish conquistador Martín de Ursúa.
 
 
1697 CE: The last great buccaneer operation captures Cartagena on the Spanish Main.
 
 
1710 CE: The English privateer Woodes Rogers captures the Manila galleon Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación Disengaño.
 
1743 CE: The Manila galleon Covadonga is captured by a Brtiish naval fleet near Manila.
 
1762 CE: A British fleet commanded by Admiral Cornish captures the Spanish Manila galleon Santísima Trinidad.
 
1815 CE: The last Manila galleon, the San Fernando, arrives in Acapulco.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1510 CE 1550 CE 1590 CE 1630 CE 1670 CE 1710 CE 1750 CE 1790 CE