Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto spearheaded an expedition into the southern United States, marking the first European presence in what we now know as Arkansas.
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Detailed records from four written accounts of the expedition shed light on de Soto’s journey through the state.
De Soto ended up discovering 10 states in America – Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana.
About Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto, a key figure in the Age of Discovery, left a great legacy on the history of exploration and conquest.
Born around 1500 in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain, he became a Spanish explorer and conquistador, participating in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula.
Photo Credit: History.com
De Soto’s pivotal role unfolded in the conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru under Francisco Pizarro.
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However, his most renowned achievement lies in leading the first European expedition into the heart of the modern-day United States.
Traversing Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and likely Arkansas, he became the first European documented to cross the mighty Mississippi River.
The North American expedition, initiated in 1539, aimed at discovering gold and seeking a passage to China or the Pacific coast.
Returning to Spain in 1536, de Soto brought wealth from the Inca conquest and was granted the right to conquer Florida. His share included 724 marks of gold and 17,740 pesos.
Hernando de Soto’s passed away on May 21, 1542, at the age of 41, along the banks of the Mississippi River.
Discrepancies persist about the exact location of his death, with some sources citing Lake Village, Arkansas, and others Ferriday, Louisiana.
Nonetheless, his expeditions and contributions shaped the course of history in the early colonial period.
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