Hernando de Alarcón
Encyclopedia
Hernando de Alarcón, a Spanish
navigator of the 16th century, noted for having led an early expedition to the Baja California peninsula
, meant to be coordinated with Francisco Vasquéz de Coronado
's overland expedition, and for penetrating the lower Colorado River, perhaps as far as the modern California-Arizona boundary.
Little is known about Alarcón's life outside of his expedition in New Spain
.
He set sail on May 9, 1540, with orders from the Spanish
Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza
to await at a certain point on the coast the arrival of an expedition by land under the command of Coronado. The meeting with Coronado was not effected, though Alarcón reached the appointed place and left letters, which were soon afterwards found by Melchior Diaz, another explorer.
Alarcón sailed to the head of the Gulf of California and completed the explorations begun by the Spanish explorer Francisco de Ulloa
the preceding year. During this voyage Alarcón proved to his satisfaction that no open-water passage existed between the Gulf of California
and the South Sea
. Subsequently, on 26 September, he entered the Colorado River
, which he named the Buena Guia. He was the first European to ascend the river for a distance considerable enough to make important observations. On a second voyage, he probably proceeded past the present site of Yuma, Arizona
. A map drawn by one of Alarcón's pilots is the earliest accurately detailed representation of the Gulf of California and the lower course of the Colorado River.
Alarcón is almost unique among the conquistadores in that he treated the Indians
he met with humanely, as opposed to behavior that was otherwise the norm. Bernard de Voto, in his 1953 Westward the Course of Empire, observed: "The Indians had an experience they were never to repeat: they were sorry to see these white men leave."
Alarcón wrote of his contact with the Yuma-speaking Indians along the Colorado. The information he compiled consisted of their practices in warfare, religion, curing and even sexual customs.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
navigator of the 16th century, noted for having led an early expedition to the Baja California peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
, meant to be coordinated with Francisco Vasquéz de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
's overland expedition, and for penetrating the lower Colorado River, perhaps as far as the modern California-Arizona boundary.
Little is known about Alarcón's life outside of his expedition in New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
.
He set sail on May 9, 1540, with orders from the Spanish
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco, Marquis of Mondéjar, Count of Tendilla , was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from April 17, 1535 to November 25, 1550, and the second viceroy of Peru, from September 23, 1551 to July 21, 1552...
to await at a certain point on the coast the arrival of an expedition by land under the command of Coronado. The meeting with Coronado was not effected, though Alarcón reached the appointed place and left letters, which were soon afterwards found by Melchior Diaz, another explorer.
Alarcón sailed to the head of the Gulf of California and completed the explorations begun by the Spanish explorer Francisco de Ulloa
Francisco de Ulloa
Francisco de Ulloa was a Spanish explorer who explored the west coast of present-day Mexico under the commission of Hernán Cortés...
the preceding year. During this voyage Alarcón proved to his satisfaction that no open-water passage existed between the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
and the South Sea
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Subsequently, on 26 September, he entered the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, which he named the Buena Guia. He was the first European to ascend the river for a distance considerable enough to make important observations. On a second voyage, he probably proceeded past the present site of Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. A map drawn by one of Alarcón's pilots is the earliest accurately detailed representation of the Gulf of California and the lower course of the Colorado River.
Alarcón is almost unique among the conquistadores in that he treated the Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
he met with humanely, as opposed to behavior that was otherwise the norm. Bernard de Voto, in his 1953 Westward the Course of Empire, observed: "The Indians had an experience they were never to repeat: they were sorry to see these white men leave."
Alarcón wrote of his contact with the Yuma-speaking Indians along the Colorado. The information he compiled consisted of their practices in warfare, religion, curing and even sexual customs.
External links
- The Pirate King's Bio of Hernando de Alarcón