Ayllón's account of the region inspired a number of later attempts by the Spanish and French governments to colonize the southeastern United States.

Ayllón was born in Toledo around 1480, the younger son of a prominent family whose roots traced back to a high-ranking mozarab judge in Islamic Spain.

Ayllón received a good education in law and his father's position gave him valuable insights into the practice of politics.

The king demonstrated considerable faith in Ayllón when he appointed him as one of three judges of this court, intended to assert royal power in the colonies.

Around 1514, Ayllón married Ana de Bezerra, daughter of a wealthy miner, thus gaining wealth and prestige to add to his political power.

Finding the islands completely depopulated, Gordillo and Pedro de Quexos, pilot of another slaving ship, sailed northwest in search of land rumored to be found in that direction.

Ayllón was apparently inspired by these reports and soon wrote to the Spanish crown requesting permission to explore and settle the region.

In Spain they met the court chronicler, Peter Martyr, with whom Chicora spoke at length about his people and homeland, and about neighboring provinces.

[3] Ayllón signed a contract with the crown on June 12, 1523, allowing him to establish a settlement on the eastern seaboard and conduct trade with the local natives.

In return for these and numerous other privileges, Ayllón was required to perform a more detailed exploration of the region, establish missions, churches, and a Franciscan monastery to support conversion of the native population.

[1] After an absence of three years, Ayllón returned to Santo Domingo around December 1524 and, per his contract, began organizing an expedition to explore the southeastern coast of North America.

Ayllón looked for a suitable site to establish a settlement at nearby Pawleys Island, but the soil was poor and a sparse Indian population offered little chance for profitable trade.

Based on their reports, Ayllón decided to move about 200 miles south to a "powerful river", probably Sapelo Sound in present-day Georgia.

[1][5] The short-lived colony of San Miguel de Gualdape was formally established on the festival of Saint Michael, September 29, 1526.

Ayllón's rough-hewn town survived less than three months, with settlers enduring exhaustion, cold, hunger, disease, and troubles with the local natives.