Governorate of Cuba Cuba | |||||||||
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_Variant_without_the_Arms_of_Granada.svg) Coat of arms
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 Islands and Mainland in the Ocean Sea at 1513 | |||||||||
| Status | Governorate of Castile (Spanish Empire) | ||||||||
| Capital | Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa | ||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| List of Castilian monarchs | |||||||||
| Historical era | Spanish Empire | ||||||||
• Established | 1511 | ||||||||
• Incorporation to New Spain | 1521 | ||||||||
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| History of Cuba |
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| Governorate of Cuba (1511–1519) |
| Viceroyalty of New Spain (1535–1821) |
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| Captaincy General of Cuba (1607–1898) |
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| US Military Government (1898–1902) |
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| Republic of Cuba (1902–1959) |
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| Republic of Cuba (1959–) |
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| Timeline |
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| Topical |
 Cuba portal |
Since the 16th century the island of Cuba had been under the control of the governor-captain general of Santo Domingo. The conquest of Cuba was organized in 1510 by the recently restored Viceroy of the Indies, Diego Colón, under the command of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, who became Cuba's first governor until his death in 1524.
Velázquez founded the city of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa in 1511 and convoked a general cabildo (a local government council) to govern Cuba, which was authorized by the king of Spain.
Hernán Cortés's Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was undertaken from Cuba. Cuba was incorporated in New Spain after the conquest of Mexico.