Narváez’s motivations

The 16th-century conquistadors in the New World were after precious metals and other treasures, slaves to replace the declining population of West Indian natives, new lands to cultivate with slave labor, and more pagan souls to convert to Christianity (and perform labor). For Narváez, gold and governing La Florida topped his list, since he had botched his chance to take over Cortés’s golden empire in Mexico. His friend, the historian Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, advised him to get over it and count his blessings:

If Pánfilo de Narváez had not forgotten the manner of his treatment in New Spain, and how, contrary to expectation his plans turned out, he would not have gone forth in quest of other whirlwinds and more fatigue but rested content with being an hidalgo, who, having come into these parts to gain a livelihood with sword and buckler, had won honor and renown, besides a woman of virtue and rank; God giving him children and an estate with which he might easily enough pass his days in keeping with his condition. He was a man of accomplishments, gentle breeding, and pure blood [a Christian]; on proper occasions, he had shown himself brave in arms as a soldier and skillful as a captain.

While he was entreating for justice and single combat with Cortés, I counseled him as a friend that he should tranquilly retire to his house into the bosom of his family, giving thanks to God for the sufficiency he possessed to go through this stormy world so full of troubles; but as his desires took him rather to lead the sons of others than to guide his own, what I said must have appeared less to his purpose than what he thought. And thus ended his career, driven on to his own and others’ destruction; nor did he lack age to need repose, having passed as many as I had, if not more, and his person appeared to me not a little worn. Although he thanked me for my advice, I saw it did not agree with him, which brought to memory what a husbandman asked upon a time while I was yet a young man: “Your Worships who are of the palace, I venture to say, know not why the ass is struck with the stick the third time?” To which I responded, saying, “It must be to make him get up.” The villager replied, “That is not the reason; it is because the ass does not remember the first time, and did not amend with the second.” (Translation by Buckingham Smith, 1851)

Such was the character and situation of Narváez at the time of his expedition: a man consumed by ambition, not very open to advice, and maybe still smarting from his failure against Cortés in Mexico.