Spanish Exploration

Christopher Columbus sails to find Cathay and Capangu

Aug 3, 1492

Christopher Columbus looks for route to Asia but instead lands in Bahamian islands.

Alonso Álvarez de Pineda travels along gulf coast and maps Florida to Texas.

Jun 2, 1519

Alonso Álvarez de Pineda was a cartographer who mapped the Gulf coast region. But did not land in Texas. He was killed by Natives

Hernán Cortés sails for vast amounts of gold.

Aug 13, 1521

Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, marquis of Oaxaca. Sailed to the new world after Columbus's voyage. And with the help of neighboring tribes of the Aztecs. Took over the Aztec empire and executed Moctezuma II.

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca exploration to Florida.

Sep 22, 1528

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was supposed to explore the region that Pineda mapped with other conquistadors. But instead, a vicious tribe sent them off course. They tried sailing for Cuba but they went down throughout the gulf. He is only 1 out of 5 men that survived. he was found in Mexico, where he was said to look like one of the natives. He was the first to talk about the seven cities of gold.

Francisco Pizarro travels to the new world.

Nov 15, 1532

Francisco Pizarro traveled through much of the Pacific coast of America along Peru. He "discovered" the Incan empire and conquered it brutally and quickly, stealing immense hoards of gold, silver, and other treasures.

Fray Marcos and Estevanico look for the seven cities of gold.

May 21, 1539

Fray Marcos a Spanish missionary that looked for the seven cities of Cibola. He was accompanied by by Estevanico in his search, Estevanico was a previous adventure with De Vaca. he was a medicine man but when he came in contact with the Zuni people he was killed. Fray Marcos survived and told the Spanish government he saw cities of gold.

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado searches for the cities of gold.

Sep 22, 1554

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a conquistador who searched to validate the claims of Fray Marcos. He encountered the Zuni people and they led him on a trick to find the golden cities. He found the reported cities of gold, but were not surrounded by grandeur in stead mud and adobe. He returned to mexico City with the bad news and told the Spanish Government not to go to Texas. The Turk took him to the reported second city of gold.

Luis de Moscoso Alvarado and Hernando de Soto trip to Texas

Jul 2, 1556

Luis de Moscoso Alvarado and Hernando de Soto go to check if Coronado was right in his statement that there are no seven cities of gold. They tortured natives that disobeyed and were not very kind. They inevitably agreed there were no cities of gold. Thus no exploration of the Spanish exploration to Texas for 200-300 years. De Soto died in the middle of the expedition