Birthdate: 1500 AD
Birthplace: Province of Badajoz, Spain
Died: May 21, 1542
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who played a key role in the conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. He led the first European expedition into what is now the United States, crossing the Mississippi River. De Soto’s expedition sought gold and a route to China or the Pacific coast. His journey covered the southeastern United States, from Florida to Arkansas, before his death in 1542 on the banks of the Mississippi River.
See more:
