Alvaro Mexia was a 17th-century Spanish explorer and cartographer of the east coast of Florida. Mexia was stationed in St Augustine and was given a diplomatic mission to the native populations living south of St. Augustine and in the Cape Canaveral area. This mission resulted in a "Period of Friendship" between the Spanish and the Ais native population.
When Pedro de Ibarra became the Spanish Governor of Florida, he knew the Spanish needed to improve relations with the natives, so he sent Mexia on a diplomatic mission in 1605 to gain knowledge of the lands and populations south of St. Augustine, as well as to assist that year's treasure fleet on its way back to Spain.
Mexia wrote about his experiences among the native Ais in a document known as a Derrotero, a self-proclaimed "truthful account" and description of his journey in the land of the Ais.[1] Mexia also created a map[2] in color. His journey completed in 1605, his Derrotero and map were sent to the King of Spain in a letter from Pedro de Ibarra.
His letters and map show native towns and place names south of St. Augustine. These include:
Alvaro returned to St. Augustine and made his report to Ibarra on July 11, 1605, more than a month after his departure. The mission was considered a success as on September 2, 1605, the elusive Capitan Grande (an Ais Chief) finally arrived in St. Augustine accompanied by his mandador (a sort of deputy chief), the chiefs of Surruque and Urbia[citation needed], and twenty Indians. Agreements were made that the Ais Indians would return shipwrecked sailors to the Spanish for a ransom.
Catalogued as Simancas, La Florida: Descubrimientos, descripciones, y poblaciones de laFlorida. Patronato. Est I; Cat I Leg 1/19; No.29
