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The first European record of the potato is as late as 1537, by the Spanish conquistador Juan de Castellanos, and it spread quite slowly throughout Europe from thereon.

Juan de Castellanos

Juan de Castellanos (born in Spain in the first half of the sixteenth century; date of death unknown) was a Criollo poet, soldier and Catholic priest.

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Abandoning the military profession he became a secular priest in Cartagena and, declining the positions of canon and treasurer, went as curate to Tunja.

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There he composed his epic poem, Elegias de Varones ilustres de Indias, the first part of which appeared in Madrid in 1588, and the first three parts in 1837.

Sebastián de Belalcázar

According to various sources, he may have left for the New World with Christopher Columbus as early as 1498, but Juan de Castellanos wrote that he killed a mule in 1507, and fled to Spain for the West Indies due to fear of punishment, and as a chance to escape the poverty in which he lived.

see also