Explore with Francisco Vazquez de Coronado

Explore with Francisco Vazquez de Coronado — page 1
Did you know In New Spain Coronado heard stories about gold Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca had led an unsuccessful expedition to find Cibola a region said to contain the Seven Cities of Gold Meet the Boss Francisco Vázquez de Coronado left Spain as a young man to seek his fortune in the Americas He would lead an important expedition into what is now the Southwestern United States LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES Younger sons inherit nothing Francisco Vázquez de Coronado also Vásquez was born in 1510 the second son of a wealthy family in Salamanca Spain His older brother inherited the family’s wealth so Coronado had to make his own fortune Like many young Spaniards of the time Coronado decided to seek his fortune in the empire Spain was creating in the New World meaning the Americas In 1535 he traveled to New Spain present-day Mexico with his friend Antonio de Mendoza Mendoza was the first viceroy of New Spain A HELPFUL MARRIAGE Happy and profitable union In Mexico City Coronado worked for Mendoza in the Spanish government He also married Beatriz de Estrada the daughter of a senior Spanish official Beatriz was only 12 while Coronado was about 27 Such marriages would not be allowed today but were sometimes made at that time for social or political reasons Through Beatriz Coronado acquired one of the largest estates in New Spain The couple later had eight children 4 TRAVEL WITH THE GREAT EXPLORERS