Hernando de Soto
Age Of Exploration
Hernando de Soto Southwest Expedition
As a young man Hernando de Soto arrived in the West Indies and went on to make a fortune in the Central American slave trade. He invested in Francisco Pizarro's southwest expedition and ended up accompanying Pizarro in his conquest of Peru in 1532 and became 2nd in command.
Greater Glory and Riches
Seeking greater glory and riches, de Soto embarked on a major expedition in 1538 to conquer Florida for the Spanish crown. He and his men traveled nearly 4,000 miles throughout the region that would become the southeastern United States in search of riches, fighting off Native American attacks along the way. In 1541, de Soto and his men became the first Europeans to encounter the great Mississipi River and cross it.
Hernando de Soto - Mini Biography
de Soto's early life and Career
Like many of the era's conquistadors, Hernando de Soto was a native of the impoverished Extremadura region of southwestern Spain; he was born circa 1496 in Jerez de los Caballeros, Bajado province. De Soto's family was of minor nobility and modest means, and at a very young age he developed dreams of making fortune in the New World. Around the age 14, de Soto left for Seville, where he got himself included on an expedition to the West Indies led by Pedro Arias Dávila in 1514.
Hernando de Soto (1496-1542)
Hernando de Soto was born in 1496 and died in 1542, he came from a noble family and had hopes on making a fortune in the New World. At 14 his hopes had come true and had his first expedition. He later wanted an expedition of his own and traveled Florida. He and his men in the expedition were the first to cross the Mississipi River. He died a year later from old age.