Francisco Vasquez De Coronado
Fransisco Vasquez De Coronado traveled to Spain in 1535, he enjoyed the support of viceroy of Mexico, Antonio de Mendoza. He landed a government position and married well. Dona Beatriz, the daughter of the coloninal treasurer, Alonso de Estrada. Vasquez de Coronado rose up with the colonial government, recieving appoionment to the governship of Nueva Galicia. Marcos de Niza, spoke of seeing golden cities whe he followed Vaca's footsteps in 1539. The following year Vasquez de Coronado was slected by the viceroy to lead the mission to explore the claims. Vasquez de Coronado set out with about 300 Spanish soilders and roughly about 1,000 indians. That july he encountrerd Zuni Indians, in what is now New Mexico. They fought the Zuni's and claimed the village. Dissapointed they hadn't found the Golden city. He sent all his men in different directions to investigtae. One group led by Pedro de Tovar, travled to the colorado plateau, while Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, and his men were the first europeans to see the Grand Canyon. Vasquez de Coronado spent in a community, anemd Tiguex, made of Pueblo Indians. Before olong his expedition had a falling out of men and supplies. He headed east in the spring over the Pecos River. They continued the search through what is now, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas before giving up. Back to Spain in 1542 a disheartened Vasquez de Coronado resumed his duties as a governor. He spent the remainder of his life in Mexico and served as a member of the city council. He died on September 22, 1554 while he failed his mission to discover the land of gold, he became one of the first European explorers to explore he American West.