1404

In 1404, Jean de Béthencourt and Gadifer de La Salle founded Betancuria, the first capital of Fuerteventura, marking a milestone in the European conquest of the Canary Islands. This settlement was strategic for consolidating control over the island, facilitating the administration and evangelization of the indigenous population, the Majos. Betancuria, located in a fertile valley, offered essential water and defensive resources for the settlers. The founding of Betancuria not only symbolized the beginning of European colonization in Fuerteventura but also laid the groundwork for the island's economic and social development. The town became an important administrative and religious center, with the construction of the Church of Santa María. This event is crucial to understanding the transformation of the islands under European rule and their integration into Atlantic trade routes.