Hernando de Soto (c. 1500-1542) was a Spanish conquistador who fought in Panama and Nicaragua and accompanied Francisco Pizarro (c. 1478-1541) in the conquest of the Inca civilization in Peru. He famously explored North America, including the Mississippi River where he died in 1542 never having found the fabled golden cities that had driven him on for four years of exploration.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 1500 - 1542Life of the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto.
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1514Hernando de Soto sails for Panama.
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1517Hernando de Soto explores Colombia.
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1524Hernando de Soto joins an expedition led by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba bound for what is today Nicaragua.
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1532Hernando de Soto is a key commander in the army of conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro which conquers the Inca civilization.
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Dec 1535The conquistador Hernando de Soto leaves the Americas and returns to Spain.
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1537Hernando de Soto is made a Knight of Santiago, the governor of Cuba, and awarded the status of adelantado for North American exploration.
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1539 - 1542The spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto leads an expedition of discovery and conquest in Florida and the southwestern part North America.
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21 May 1542The Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto dies near Natchez and his body is comitted to the Mississippi River.
