<P> It is estimated that during the colonial period (1492--1832), a total of 1.86 million Spaniards settled in the Americas and a further 3.5 million immigrated during the post-colonial era (1850--1950); the estimate is 250,000 in the 16th century, and most during the 18th century as immigration was encouraged by the new Bourbon Dynasty . In the early 19th century, the Spanish American wars of independence resulted in the emancipation of most Spanish colonies in the Americas, except for Cuba and Puerto Rico, which were finally given up in 1898, following the Spanish--American War, together with Guam and the Philippines in the Pacific . Spain's loss of these last territories politically ended the Spanish rule in the Americas . </P> <P> The Catholic Monarchs Isabella of Castile, Queen of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand, King of Aragon, pursued a policy of joint rule of their kingdoms and created a single Spanish monarchy . Even though Castile and Aragon were ruled jointly by their respective monarchs, they remained separate kingdoms . The Catholic Monarchs gave official approval for the plans of Genoese mariner Christopher Columbus for a voyage to reach India by sailing West . The funding came from the queen of Castile, so the profits from Spanish expedition flowed to Castile . In the extension of Spanish sovereignty to its overseas territories, authority for expeditions of discovery, conquest, and settlement resided in the monarchy . </P> <P> Columbus made four voyages to the West Indies as the monarchs granted Columbus the governorship of the new territories, and financed more of his trans - Atlantic journeys . He founded La Navidad on the island later named Hispaniola (now divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic), in what is the present - day Haiti on his first voyage . After its destruction by the indigenous Taino people, the town of Isabella was begun in 1493, on his second voyage . In 1496 his brother, Bartholomew, founded Santo Domingo . By 1500, despite a high death rate, there were between 300 and 1000 Spanish settled in the area . The local Taíno people continued to resist, refusing to plant crops and abandoning their Spanish - occupied villages . The first mainland explorations were followed by a phase of inland expeditions and conquest . In 1500 the city of Nueva Cádiz was founded on the island of Cubagua, Venezuela, followed by the founding of Santa Cruz by Alonso de Ojeda in present - day Guajira peninsula . Cumaná in Venezuela was the first permanent settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland Americas, in 1501 by Franciscan friars, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people, it had to be refounded several times, until Diego Hernández de Serpa's foundation in 1569 . The Spanish founded San Sebastian de Uraba in 1509 but abandoned it within the year . There is indirect evidence that the first permanent Spanish mainland settlement established in the Americas was Santa María la Antigua del Darién . </P> <P> The Spanish conquest of Mexico is generally understood to be the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519--21) which was the base for later conquests of other regions . Later conquests were protracted campaigns with less spectacular results than the conquest of the Aztecs . The Spanish conquest of Yucatán, the Spanish conquest of Guatemala, the war of Mexico's west, and the Chichimeca War in northern Mexico expanded Spanish control over territory and indigenous populations . But not until the Spanish conquest of Peru was the conquest of the Aztecs matched in scope by the victory over the Inca empire in 1532 . </P>

Where did the spanish first find a permanent settlement