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Hernando De Soto
Spanish Explorer & Conquistador
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Born: c. 1496 (?)
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Died: 1542 |
 Starting in 1519, De Soto served under the
Spanish adventurer Francisco Pizarro for 13 years. Young and ambitious,
he made his mark as a slave trader and built a fortune in Nicaragua and
Panama through partnerships with Hernan Ponce de Leon and Francisco
Campanon.De Soto defeated a rival, Gil Gonzalez Davila, to gain control of
Nicaragua. Upon learning that there was gold along the Pacific coast, De
Soto joined with Pizarro in the conquest of Peru in 1532, trading his
ships for a lieutenant position in Pizarro’s fleet. He captained part of
the fleet that defeated the Incas and was the first European to meet the
Incan Emperor Atahualpa.With the permission of King Charles of Spain, De Soto organized an
expedition to Florida, seeking a legendary rich empire in the
wilderness. Starting in 1539, De Soto’s party traveled through Florida,
South and North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. Hew discovered the
Mississippi River in 1541 and crossed it in order to explore Arkansas,
Oklahoma, and Texas. Even though he had made great progress in exploring
previously unknown areas, he was unsuccessful in finding any gold or
treasure.De Soto died during the march back to Florida and was buried in the
Mississippi River, so that hostile natives would not abuse his body. |
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