THESPANISHCONNECTION

Carl Barks was always very interested in ancient history, a fact that shines through in several of his comic book stories from the duck universe. According to these stories he was especially interested in the rather short period when the Spanish conquistadors came to the Americas in order to acquire land and riches, and to convert the native population, that they saw as heathens, to Christianity. As a matter of fact, Barks did include most of the real Spanish leaders from that time in different ways in the stories, and you are presented to the majority of them from a predominantly historical view. The names are all mentioned in their English versions just as Barks used them in his stories.

PS.: Did the ducks ever visit Spain? Well, Yes and No! They did so on two occasions in passing (literally); in FC0275 Ancient Persia they flew past the Southern tip of Spain (Gibraltar) on their way to Persia, and in WDCS212 'Rocket Race' they flew over Spain on a scavenger hunt onboard a rocket ship. More substantially they visited the fictional town of Chiliburgeria, that is supposedly located across the Pyrenees from France (i.e. in Spain) in FC0308 Dangerous Disguise. That's it...

The Spanish explorer Francisco de Ulloa (?-1540) travelled the west coast of present-day Mexico and USA under commission from the Spanish King's envoy, Hernán Cortés. Supposedly, de Ulloa's ship was swept inland in 1539 with a tidal wave, and it has since become known as The Lost Ship in the Desert.

Mentioned in U$07 'The Seven Cities of Cibola', where the ducks find the ship's log and start reading from it (the account fills almost a whole story page). At one point Scrooge says: It seems he'd been exploring the mouth of the Colorado River, seeking a route to the seven cities! He gave up and sailed away, but later decided to return to the river for one more try: 'At the bar we were caught in a great tide, which swept us up the river forty leagues or more!'

Among the legends that propelled Spaniards into the far reaches of northern New Spain (Colonial Mexico) was the legend of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola. The most famous journey was led by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1510-1554), who was seeking the fabled cities, but only found poor Indian villages.

The ducks managed to find the place and the fabulous treasures in U$07 'The Seven Cities of Cibola', but then Barks deviated from the historic facts (besides the overall fact that the cities are indeed fabled) by letting the Beagle Boys find and dress up in conquistador armoury and weapons...

In 1493 the Spanish conquistador Ponce de Leon (1474-1521) joined Christopher Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. After de Leon had discovered Puerto Rico he went on to search for the fabled Fountain of Youth. He discovered Florida, which he explored meticulously for 8 years without finding any trace of the elusive waters.

Mentioned several times in U$32 That's No Fable!, where his name in Barks' version changed to Poncey de Loon. The first remarks came when the ducks travelled through Dismal Ooze Swamp (the Everglades) in a swamp scooter: Imagine the misery of the early explorers who crossed this swamp. - Yes, guys like Poncey de Loon who led his troops through here in canoes!

Ferdinand (1452-1516), King of Spain and nicknamed The Catholic, and married to Isabella. His reign was generally cruel (he introduced the Spanish Inquisition), but he was also foresighted; Isabella and himself sponsored Christopher Columbus' journeys when others refrained*.

Mentioned in U$32 That's No Fable! when Scrooge asks the two conquistadors, Pablo and Pedro, how they got their ancient equipment. They answer: By joining the army of Ferdinand, Regent of Spain!

* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian ship captain employed by the regents to find a way to India by sailing west, but he landed on the American continent instead. - Mentioned in FC0062 Mystery of the Swamp by Donald: I want to be like Columbus an' Drake an' those old discoverers. In FC0256 Luck of the North the nephews find an old map ....drawn hundreds of years before the time of Columbus. In U$29 Island in the Sky the ducks find Indian-like people who kneel before them: ...They kneel like the American savages kneeled to Columbus! In U$45 Isle of the Golden Geese the nephews say about Scrooge's cannon: ...The last thing sold at every rummage sale since Columbus. Finally, in U$53 Interplanetary Postman, when Scrooge is leaving Earth in a rocket, a man comments: The spirit of the Vikings, of Columbus, and the Pony Express riders flies with you, McDuck!

Philip II (1527-1598) was the very powerful King of Spain in the days when his country was exploiting the American continent. In 1588 he sent the Spanish Armada to conquer England, where it was defeated by brilliant English tactics and bad weather.

Mentioned in U$26 The Prize of Pizarro where Scrooge explains his purchase of a genuine Spanish galleon: It's one King Philip II had preserved to commemorate the Spanish conquest of the New World!

Francisco Pizarro (1475-1541) was a Spanish conquistador who explored parts of Central and South America along the Pacific coastline. He later went on to conquer the vast Inca Empire in South America.

Mentioned in U$16 Back to Long Ago where a hypnotist says about one of his clients: ...Back in history he found he was one of Pizarro's soldiers, and he spied the location of a cache of Inca gold! In U$26 The Prize of Pizarro Scrooge says about a Spanish galleon that he bought: Pizarro's men shipped home chests of Inca gold in its hold! As can be expected (from the title) there are several other references to Pizarro in the story.

^EXTRA^{When Barks visited several European countries in 1994 he
did not manage to include Spain in his tight schedule.

But after having returned home he received these two
drawings from professional fans:}