What happened to Hernando de Soto when he died?

After battling a fever in May of 1542, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto passed away, and was buried by his men in the Mississippi River.

About Hernando de Soto

Hernando de Soto was a renowned Spanish explorer and conquistador during the age of the Americas.

Born around 1500 in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain, de Soto initially participated in expeditions spanning Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula.

His notable achievements include a pivotal role in Francisco Pizarro’s conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru.

However, de Soto is perhaps best remembered for leading the inaugural European expedition deep into the heart of the modern-day United States.

This journey, spanning Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and likely Arkansas, marked him as the first European documented to cross the mighty Mississippi River.

The expedition aimed at discovering gold reported by Native American tribes and coastal explorers while searching for a passage to China or the Pacific coast.

Although considered a failure by the Spanish, de Soto’s venture had far-reaching consequences. It contributed to the Columbian Exchange, with the introduction of swine that eventually became feral razorback pigs in the southeastern United States.

Hernando de Soto’s life and expeditions shaped the course of history during the age of exploration.

His death on May 21, 1542, at the age of 41, on the banks of the Mississippi River, remains a topic of historical debate, with conflicting sources pointing to locations in Lake Village, Arkansas, or Ferriday, Louisiana.