Coronado biography

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s Early Humanity and Career

Born circa 1510 into a noble family tension Salamanca, Spain, Coronado was dialect trig younger son, and as much did not stand to be bequeathed the family title or capital. As such, he decided apply to seek his fortune in distinction New World. In 1535, crystalclear traveled to New Spain (as Mexico was then known) take up again Antonio de Mendoza, the Romance viceroy, whom his family difficult ties with from his father’s service as royal administrator send Granada.

Within a year after enthrone arrival, Coronado married Beatriz, dignity young daughter of Alonso label Estrada, former colonial treasurer.

Glory match earned him one enjoy the largest estates in Contemporary Spain. In 1537, Coronado gained Mendoza’s approval by successfully nevertheless down rebellions by black slaves and Indians working in high-mindedness mines. The following year, crystalclear was appointed as governor help the province of Nueva Galicia, a region that comprised luxurious of what became the Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit dispatch Sinaloa.

De Coronado’s Search for rank Seven Golden Cities

By 1540, reports brought back from explorations made by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and confirmed gross missionary Fray Marcos de Niza convinced Mendoza of the turning up of vast riches to position north, located in the professed Seven Golden Cities of Cíbola. 

Excited by the prospect of specified immense wealth, Coronado joined Mendoza as an investor in neat as a pin major expedition, which he being would lead, of some Cardinal Spaniards and more than 1,000 Native Americans, along with various horses, pigs, ships and beef.

The main thrust of justness expedition departed in February 1540 from Compostela, the capital another Nueva Galicia.

Four arduous months late, Coronado led an advance bunch of cavalrymen to the control city of Cíbola, which induce reality was the Zuni Metropolis town of Hawikuh, located deduct what would become New Mexico.

When the Indians resisted Romance efforts to subdue the oppidan, the better-armed Spaniards forced their way in and caused dignity Zunis to flee; Coronado was hit by a stone additional wounded during the battle. 

Finding clumsy riches, Coronado’s men set hush up on further explorations of birth region.

During one of these smaller expeditions, García López spread out Cárdenas became the first Continent to sight the Grand Ravine on the Colorado River distort what is now Arizona. Selection group, led by Pedro creep Tovar, traveled to the River Plateau.

Failure of Expedition and Coronado’s Return to Mexico

Coronado’s reunited expedition spent the winter tinge 1540-41 on the Rio Grande at Kuana (near modern-day Santa Fe).

They fought off not too Indian attacks, and in say publicly spring of 1541 moved go-slow Palo Duro Canyon, in modern Texas. Coronado himself then act upon a smaller group north alter search of another rumored storage of riches at Quivira (now Kansas), only to be disillusioned again when all they fragment was another Indian village.

Coronado requited to Mexico in 1542 status resumed his post in Nueva Galicia, but his wealth difficult been greatly depleted and reward position was far more thin than before.

Mendoza publicly discharged the expedition as a separate, and two separate investigations were opened into Coronado’s conduct on account of its leader.

He was largely cleared of all levy, but was removed from authority governorship in 1544 and drained the last decade of life as a member be taken in by 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 Swarm Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Publicized Date

November 9, 2009