Hernando de Soto

De Soto served as a captain under Francisco Pizarro during the conquest of the Inca Empire. He led the first Spanish contact with Inca Emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca and was present at the Battle of Cajamarca where Atahualpa was captured.

De Soto was appointed Governor of Cuba and Adelantado of Florida by King Charles I. He was granted the right to conquer and colonize the lands from Florida to the Rio de la Plata. He used his governorship to organize his expedition to North America.

De Soto landed near present-day Tampa Bay with 600 men, 200 horses, and a herd of pigs. He began a four-year expedition through the southeastern United States, encountering numerous Native American tribes including the Timucua, Cherokee, and Choctaw.

De Soto's forces attacked the fortified town of Mabila (in present-day Alabama) after a dispute with Chief Tuskaloosa. The battle resulted in the deaths of 2,500-5,000 Native Americans and 20 Spaniards. De Soto lost most of his supplies and equipment in the ensuing fire.

De Soto's expedition became the first Europeans to sight the Mississippi River, near present-day Memphis, Tennessee. He crossed the river with his army of 400 men and 200 horses, searching for gold and a passage to the Pacific. The river was named Rio del Espiritu Santo.

De Soto died of a fever on May 21, 1542, on the banks of the Mississippi River. To prevent Native Americans from learning of his death, his men weighted his body with sand and sank it in the river. His expedition continued under Luis de Moscoso.