Mendoza organized an ambitious expedition to make a more thorough exploration. One group led by Pedro de Tovar traveled to the Colorado Plateau, while Garcia López de Cárdenas and his men became the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon. The following year, Vázquez de Coronado was selected by the viceroy to lead a mission to further explore these claims. Another side exploration made García López de Cárdenas the first white man to view the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River (in modern Arizona). It consisted of some 300 Spaniards, hundreds of Indians and native slaves, horses, and herds of sheep, pigs, and cattle, in addition to two ships under the command of Hernando de Alarcón, who sailed up the Gulf of California to discover the mouth of the Colorado River on August 26, 1540. They continued their search through what is now Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, before giving up their quest. Coronado was a governor of New Galicia, a western province of Mexico. Vázquez de Coronado died on September 22, 1554. Seeking the fabled Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, his expedition of 1,400 men and 1,500 animals found only poor Indian villages, but established Spain's later claim to the entire Desert Southwest. He was born in Salamanca, Spain around 1510. He was removed from his post two years later, during an investigation into his expedition. Francisco Coronado, born as Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, was a Spanish Explorer who is best known for being among the first Europeans to find and explore the Grand Canyon. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Learn Francisco Vasques de Coronado with free interactive flashcards. Before long, he and his expedition had a falling out with the local peoples over supplies. Mountjoy and Goetzmann, Francisco Coronado and the Seven Cities of Gold, 11. Coronado went to New Spain (Mexico) with Antonio de Mendoza, the Spanish viceroy, in 1535 and earned early distinction in pacifying Indians. Kallen, A Journey with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado… 1510 – September 22, 1554) was a Spanish conquistador, who between 1540 and 1542 visited New Mexico and other parts of the southwest of what is now the United States. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He would be transitioned into what was called a “humiliating” government position, but this also allowed him to spend more time with his family. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, (born c. 1510, Salamanca, Spain—died September 22, 1554, Mexico), Spanish explorer of the North American Southwest whose expeditions resulted in the discovery of many physical landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, but who … "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. While searching for the mythical fountain of youth, Juan Ponce de León founded the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico and landed on the mainland of North America, a region he dubbed “Florida.”. https://www.biography.com/explorer/francisco-vazquez-de-coronado. Soon after, many tales of gold got to rich the ears of the young Francisco Vázquez de Coronadoaround the year 1530. To verify Cabeza de Vaca's statements, Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza sent Marcos de Niza to the north in the spring of 1539. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, explorer and governor, son of Juan Vázquez de Coronado and Isabel de Luján, was born at Salamanca, Spain, in 1510. Back in New Spain in 1542, the disheartened Vázquez de Coronado returned to his duties as governor of Nueva Galicia. The expedition team of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado discovered the Grand Canyon and many other famous landmarks. Shane Mountjoy and William H. Goetzmann, Francisco Coronado and the Seven Cities of Gold (Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2006), 11. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1510-1554) was a Spanish explorer and colonial official who is credited with one of the first European explorations of Arizona, New Mexico, and the Great Plains of North America. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, (born c. 1510, Salamanca, Spain—died September 22, 1554, Mexico), Spanish explorer of the North American Southwest whose expeditions resulted in the discovery of many physical landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, but who failed to find the treasure-laden cities he sought. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francisco-Vazquez-de-Coronado, United States History - Biography of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, DesertUSA - Biography of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, The Catholic Encyclopedia - Biography of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Public Broadcasting Service - Biography of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, Francisco Coronado - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Francisco Coronado - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru and discovered the Mississippi River. 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