1496-1542

Spanish Conquistador, Explorer, and Mariner

Hernando, known also as Fernando, de Soto was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain. He spent nearly all of his youth at his family manor house, but at 17 he told his father of his desire to go to Seville and attempt to secure employment in a merchant fleet that traded in the West Indies. Though his father desired for him to study the law, de Soto was eventually permitted to pursue his interests in Seville. The young de Soto did quickly garner a position on a ship in 1514, but as a member of Pedro Arias Dávila's exploratory expedition to the West Indies and not specifically as a merchant. A skilled horseman and trader, de Soto quickly became known for accomplishing daring feats to gain high profits from his ventures.

De Soto's renown helped him create several...