Exploration

Hernando De Soto

Spaniard, De Soto was born in Barcarrota in 15oo, and was to become an explorer of vast areas within the New World. For 13 years from 1519 he was a military leader in Peru and Central America under Francisco Pizarro. Once Peru was conquered in 1532, De Soto returned to Spain with his fortune. Five years thereafter, he organized an expedition to the region of Florida (which was under Spain's control). He had to get the permission of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the fifth, to do so, and De Soto provided his own funding for his 1000 man-crew. In 1539 they landed on Florida's West Coast, and spirits were high as to the possibility of the discovery of wealthy empires.

Due to the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires, Spaniards readily believed that more such rich civilizations were in existence. During their 3-year search De Soto's company journeyed through what is today Florida, South and North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. They crossed the Mississippi River in 1541, and explored parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Northern Texas.

In his quest to find the gold and silver he was doggedly searching for, De Soto treated the native Americans with cruel tortures and enslaving them.

Disappointed, in early 1542, the expedition started on its return journey, and upon reaching the

Mississippi River in 1542, De Soto died of fever. In order to prevent the native Americans from discovering De Soto had died and dishonoring his corpse, they weighted his body and sank it in the river.

Only a number of crewmembers survived the return journey to the Gulf of Mexico and their Spanish settlements.

Despite journeyed vast distances into the heart of North America, De Soto's travels were seen as a failure due to the fact that no treasure was discovered.

In 1949 the De Soto National Memorial was opened in St Petersburg to honor and commemorate De Soto's arrival in Florida.