La Giraldilla of Havana
In the very heart of Old Havana and on top of the Royal Force Castle, there is the reminiscence of a sad love story that claims for the attention of the traveler. Sometimes the voice mingles with the usual rustle of the coming and going passers and the permanent presence of the water that fills with its music all spaces. But the ear, always alert, gets the visual calling that reveals this small figure longing to tell its story. A question is enough and the legend turns into a sad tale.
Hernando de Soto, the conquistador
It was the year 1537 when lady luck wanted that Conquistador of Florida and commander of the Order of Santiago, don Hernando de Soto, were appointed seventh governor of the Spanish Crown in Cuba.
At the time he was a well known as a conquistador, explorer, a good horse rider and a strategist. He had participated in the expeditions of Gaspar de Espinosa and Hernandez de Cordoba, who discovered and colonized the coast of Nicaragua in 1523. He had made his own incursions in the coast of Yucatan in 1528; and he was also travelling companion of Pizarro and his venture in Peru and, among other discoveries, he found the way to the Inca Empire’s capital, Cusco.
At his return to the Continent, wealthy and famous, he married the young woman Ines de Bobadilla, member of one of the most respectable families in Castile and usual visitors to the Spanish court. She was daughter of Pedro Arias Davila, “Pedraria”, another renowned conquistador with whom de Soto started his incursions in Panama at the age of 14.
Hernando and Isabel arrive to Cuba
That is why, when in March 20th, 1537, Charles I of Spain appoints Hernando de Soto governor, and assigns him a very important task: the preparation of an expedition to Florida, peninsula only discovered not long before by Ponce de Leon. And to Cuba departs the happy couple.
However, he administers the Caribbean island for a short period. In May, 1539, he took provisions and finally starts towards Florida. According to the data we have today, he had under his command more than 600 men, 24 priests, 9 ships and 537 horses. Lonely remained the young wife, with the high responsibility of, in her husband’s absence, be the regent governor of Cuba. She turns from that moment and for a couple of months, the most powerful woman in the area of the Americas.
The long waiting
Days passed by too slow and the waiting was turning intolerable long for Dona Isabel de Bobadilla. Hours and hours the young woman spent on top of her castle, seeking into the skyline, trying to discover the silhouette of a ship bringing her husband back.
She was far from guessing that in distant lands, also after long and complex days and in very hard conditions, Hernando died without the chance of returning home. The western bank of the Mississippi river saw him depart forever, away from his beloved Isabel on May 21st, 1542.
Immortal, on top of the tower
The legend has it that Isabel languished in sorrow with the news. Little more is known about this lonely lady that became Governor of Cuba and whose story took part of the history of Havana. The legend also tells that, touched by the tale, sculptor Jeronimo Martin Pinzon made a statuette to be a weather vane that since the first years of the 1630s has guarded the highest position in the northern bastion of the Castle of the Royal Force.
The woman’s figure, holding her head up high and little turn to the right looks into the distance. In her left arm is holding the Cross of Calatrava, order her husband belonged to; and in the right one she holds a palm tree that only keeps the trunk. The skirt a little bit lifted on the right thigh, leaving the leg at sight. On her chest she holds a medallion with the name of the artist as well as other jewels that are part of her ornaments. The statue is 110 cm tall.
From its position, this statue, inspired by El Giraldillo (weather vane) located in the Sevillian cathedral, is the oldest one ever made in bronze in Cuba and as time went by became an essential symbol for the inhabitants of the city.
Eternal remembrance
The statue that we can currently see on top of the Royal Force is a replica. The original piece was torn down by a strong hurricane that hit the island in October 20th, 1926. Today, and after been restored and showing the splendor of the past time, La Giraldilla is guarding the small hall by the main gate of the castle she once looked after from the very top.
With this piece the sculptor was providing with immortality to that lady and that love, placing her on top of the high tower in an eternal wait. That is how Giraldilla tells us all about her misfortune and keeps calm while guarding Havana. Maybe Hernando is not dead, and maybe some of the travelers from distant lands bring the eagerly awaited news to the restless Isabel de Bobadilla. Some people say that at times she lowers the eyes and scan for her husband among the passing faces in the colonial city.
Another love story
According to the historical records, the main assistant within the troops of de Soto in Florida was Juan Ortiz, a Spanish that was took prisoner by a native group and was saved thanks to the intervention of the daughter of the native chief, in a scenario that inspired the creation of famous character Pocahontas. But that is another story to search about.
Originally published at havanaprivatesuite.com.
