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Francisco Vasquez De Coronado
Francisco Vasquez De Coronado was born in Salamanca, Spain in 1510. He was born in a rich family sadly though he was the second oldest and he had no money. All the money went to his older brother since at that time in Europe that’s how money in the family went to… that oldest one! His older brother made the money so Francisco had to move somewhere else to make some money. That choice was made in 1935 when he moved to Mexico. A lot of things changed at Mexico and here they are.
In Mexico Francisco met Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza. Just to tell you a Viceroy was a royal official who rules a country like a king or queen. Francisco also married Beatrix de Estrada. She was called/nicknamed the “Saint” also she was the sister of Leonor de Estrada who was the ancestor of the de Alvarado family also she was the daughter of Treasurer and Governor Alonso de Estrada y Hidalgo Lord of Picon and wife Marina Flores Gutierrez who was from a Converso Jewish family. Francisco inherited a very large piece of land from Beatrix and he and her had eight children. After all of this, Francisco began living his life as an explorer and here is a little about him.
One famous thing that Francisco did was the exploration for the Seven Cities of Gold (El Dorado). This exploration started when Francisco’s co-colleague, Admiral Mendoza heard stories and rumors of the Seven Cities of Gold. Rumors said that streets and houses were made of gold and jewels. So, Mendoza sent Francisco to find the Seven Cities of Gold. So then in 1840 Francisco set out along with 300 soldiers and about 1,000 Indians to find the Seven Cities of Gold. Francisco and his army didn’t find the Seven Cities of Gold they found … a settlement of Zuni Indians.
With that well Francisco called the trip a failure. Then in 1540 Francisco is told yet again of another myth. The myth was about a place called Quivira it held riches like the Seven Cities of Gold. Francisco got this myth from an Indian guide who was nicknamed the “Turk”. Well after gather all the men he needed Francisco went on with the exploration of Quivira and big surprise it was… fake yet again! All Francisco found was a poor indigenous village of Wichita Indians. Eventually the “Turk” confessed to Francisco that Quivira was fake and he was well, executed.
Well, guess what Francisco is famous for… the Grand Canyon! Discovering the Grand Canyon for Francisco was very unexpectedly. It all started when he and some of his men were exploring and searching for the Colorado River when they found it. Except it was a double whammy and they found the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Also they were the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon. So Francisco at least found the Grand Canyon for his mistakes with those two myths.
Now I will wrap up with a conclusion. In conclusion Francisco found a famous landmark but he didn’t find two myths. Also some bad things happened to Francisco. Fist in 1554 he was found guilty of atrocities against Indians. Then he was removed from office (he was a governor of a city). To wrap up Francisco died on September 22, 1554.
Timeline
1510: Francisco Vasquez de Coronado is born in Salamanca,Spain
1535: Francisco goes to New Spain (Mexico) with Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza
1537: Francisco marries Beatrix de Estrada and has eight children
1538: Francisco becomes governor of Nueva Galicia
1539: Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza is told of the Seven Cities of Gold. The myth is told to him by Marcos de Niza who tells him of a gleaming city called Cibola and that local Indians described it as the smallest of the seven but had more gold than the Incas
1539: Antonio de Mendoza helps Francisco with searching the South West for Cibola and the Seven Cities of Gold
February 23 1540: Francisco begins the search for Cibola in the south-western part of North America with 340 Spanish, 300 Indians, 1000 horses and slaves, and six swivel guns so that the purpose is to colonize as well as explore
July 7 1540: A battle against the Pueblo Indians occurs at Zuni and Francisco is wounded
1540: Francisco reaches Cibola and does not find the Seven Cities of Gold and Marcos de Niza is dismissed and sent back in disgrace
1540: An Indian guide (nicknamed the "Turk") tells of a city called Quivira with riches
April 23 1541: Francisco sets out Quivira
June 29 1541: Francisco crosses the Arkansas River
1541: Francisco arrives in Kansas and does not find Quivira
1541-1542: Francisco spends the winter on the Rio Grande
April 1542: Francisco makes the trip back home
1542: The Viceroy calls Francisco's expedition a failure
1544: Francisco is found guilty of atrocities against Indians and he is removed from office (governor)
September 22, 1544: Francisco Vasquez de Coronado dies
Resources
1. "Francisco Vasquez de Coronado" April 27, 2010 <http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/coronado.htm>
2. "Francisco Vasquez de Coronado" April 27, 2010 <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/coronado.htm>
3. "Francisco Vasquez de Coronado" April 27, 2010 <http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/francisco-vasquez-de-coronado.htm>
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
