The Brevis narratio recounts the history of the French Huguenot expeditions to Florida under Jean Ribault, Dominique de Gourgues, and René de Laudonnière. Desirous to have a foothold in Florida to challenge Spain, the French built a short-lived Huguenot fort in Parris Island in 1562. A second attempt was led by René Goulaine de Laudonnière in 1564, who founded Fort Caroline, near present day Jacksonville. Le Moyne was the cartographer and artist of this expedition, which ended in utter disaster at the hands of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, sent by the Spanish king to clear the land from the French. The Spaniards destroyed Fort Caroline, and shortly after massacred more than 300 French soldiers under Jean Ribaut, who had just arrived in Florida to support the French cohort at Fort Caroline.