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Hernando de Soto - Explorer (1496
- 1542) |
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who
was with Francisco Pizarro during his 1532 conquest
of Peru. He went on to lead an expedition into
the southeast area of the modern day United
States of America, and became the first European
to cross the Mississippi River.
This page details facts about Hernando de Soto's
life and the events that shaped his history.
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Hernando de Soto the Explorer
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Hernando de Soto Fact
1: |
Hernando de Soto was born at Badajoz
in the Extremadura area of Spain in 1496. His parents were
minor nobility in this poor region. Not much more is known
of his early life. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
2: |
In 1514, Hernando de Soto left for Seville
and managed to join an expedition to the New World led by
Pedrarias Davila, the first Governor of Panama. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
3: |
Hernando de Soto proved to be a talented
horseman, and soon gained great wealth from his trading
and brutal exchanges with the native Americans. By 1530
He had become a slave trader in Nicaragua. |
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Hernando de Soto
Fact 4: |
In 1531, Hernando
de Soto joined
Francisco Pizarro
on an expedition to Peru. The Spanish met, and defeated,
the Incas at Cajamarca. The Incan Emperor, Atahualpa,
was captured and a ransom demanded. Despite the huge
ransom being collected, Atahualpa was killed.
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Hernando de Soto
Fact 5: |
Pizarro then set
off for the capital of the Incan Empire, Cuzco. Hernando
de Soto was sent ahead with an advance party that fought
and defeated the Incans before Pizarro arrived.
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Hernando de Soto
Fact 6: |
Cuzco was plundered
by the Spanish with large amounts of gold and silver
taken. Hernando de Soto became rich from his share of
the plunder added to his share of Atahualpa’s ransom.
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Picture
of Francisco Pizarro
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Hernando de Soto Fact
7: |
By 1534 Hernando de Soto was serving
as Lieutenant Governor of Cuzco, and in 1536 returned to
Spain with his fortune. While there he married Isobel de
Bobadilla, the daughter of Pedrarias Davila. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
8: |
Having been made Governor of Cuba, Hernando
de Soto received a royal commission to colonize North America.
He led an expedition from Havana, landing in Tampa Bay in
May 1539. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
9: |
Hernando de Soto led the expedition north
in search of gold and treasure. Despite conflicts and ambushes
along the way, he managed get to Apalachee, just east of
modern day Tallahassee. Using natives that they had captured
as guides, he then headed north east through Georgia into
South Carolina. After heading north in to the Appalachian
Mountains of North Carolina, he continued to search for
gold before entering Tennessee. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
10: |
The route that Hernando de Soto followed
next is the subject of discussion. There are two routes
that have been proposed as being correct. The first route
has his expedition following the Tennessee River and entering
Alabama from the North. The second, and more generally accepted
route, has him heading south through Georgia before heading
into Alabama. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
11: |
In late 1540, Hernando de Soto was heading
for Mobile Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico, to meet up with some
supply ships from Havana. Not far from his destination,
he was ambushed by an Indian tribe. The resulting battle
was fierce and bloody with the Spaniards killing hundreds
of Indians and losing many men themselves. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
12: |
Following this hollow victory, Hernando
de Soto led the remainder of the expedition into Mississippi.
In the spring of 1541, he reached the Mississippi River.
The expedition crossed the Mississippi and headed west through
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas before heading back to the
Mississippi River in 1542. |
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Hernando de Soto Fact
13: |
In May 1542, Hernando de Soto contracted
a fever and died. It remains unclear whether he died in
Arkansas or Louisiana. Following his death, and with none
of the anticipated treasures, the remains of the expedition
decided to head for Mexico. After a journey fraught with
danger from hostile tribes, they finally navigated the Mississippi
River and made their way to Mexico. |
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Hernando de Soto the
Explorer (1496 - 1542) Fun Facts Info for Kids ! |
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