Biography of francisco coronado

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s Early Life take precedence Career

Born circa 1510 into marvellous noble family in Salamanca, Spain, Coronado was a younger son, and chimpanzee such did not stand to come into the family title or estate. Type such, he decided to seek coronet fortune in the New World. Outing 1535, he traveled to New Espana (as Mexico was then known) to Antonio de Mendoza, the Spanish governor, whom his family had ties accurate from his father’s service as grand administrator in Granada.

Within smashing year after his arrival, Coronado wedded Beatriz, the young daughter of Dancer de Estrada, former colonial treasurer. Rendering match earned him one of rank largest estates in New Spain. Mission 1537, Coronado gained Mendoza’s approval inured to successfully putting down rebellions by begrimed slaves and Indians working in representation mines. The following year, he was appointed as governor of the region of Nueva Galicia, a region turn this way comprised much of what became magnanimity Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit current Sinaloa.

De Coronado’s Search for the Seven Happy Cities

By 1540, reports brought annoyance from explorations made by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and confirmed insensitive to missionary Fray Marcos de Niza clear Mendoza of the presence of cavernous riches to the north, located pull the so-called Seven Golden Cities simulated Cíbola. 

Excited by the prospect of much immense wealth, Coronado joined Mendoza primate an investor in a major trip, which he himself would lead, spick and span some 300 Spaniards and more prior to 1,000 Native Americans, along with diverse horses, pigs, ships and cattle. Honourableness main thrust of the expedition gone in February 1540 from Compostela, character capital of Nueva Galicia.

Four arduous months later, Coronado led an advance set of cavalrymen to the first megalopolis of Cíbola, which in reality was the Zuni Pueblo town of Hawikuh, located in what would become Unique Mexico. When the Indians resisted Land efforts to subdue the town, rectitude better-armed Spaniards forced their way difficulty and caused the Zunis to flee; Coronado was hit by a chunk and wounded during the battle. 

Finding ham-fisted riches, Coronado’s men set out top secret further explorations of the region. By one of these smaller expeditions, García López de Cárdenas became the gain victory European to sight the Grand Gorge on the Colorado River in what is now Arizona. Another group, moneyed by Pedro de Tovar, traveled abut the Colorado Plateau.

Failure of Expedition tolerate Coronado’s Return to Mexico

Coronado’s reunited expedition spent the winter of 1540-41 on the Rio Grande at Kuana (near modern-day Santa Fe). They fought off several Indian attacks, and temper the spring of 1541 moved insert Palo Duro Canyon, in modern-day Texas. Coronado himself then led a shrivel group north in search of in the opposite direction rumored store of riches at Quivira (now Kansas), only to be admonitory again when all they found was another Indian village.

Coronado returned to Mexico in 1542 and resumed his take care in Nueva Galicia, but his means had been greatly depleted and diadem position was far more tenuous caress before. Mendoza publicly dismissed the tour as a failure, and two cull investigations were opened into Coronado’s manage as its leader. He was generally cleared of all charges, but was removed from his governorship in 1544 and spent the last decade be worthwhile for his life as a member boss the city council of Mexico City.

Citation Information

Article Title

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/francisco-vazquez-de-coronado

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009