Cabeza de Vaca

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

Biography, Timeline & Facts about the famous explorer, explorations & voyages in the Age of Exploration

Short Biography of the life of Cabeza de Vaca- Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
The following biography information provides basic facts about the life Cabeza de Vaca:

• Nationality - Spanish

• Lifespan - 1490 - 1557

• Family - Noble Spanish family

• Education - Well educated befitting the status of his family

• Career - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer

• Famous as : the first European to explore Texas and Southwest America

Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Cabeza de Vaca- Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
The following are additional facts and a timeline about the life and history of Cabeza de Vaca:

• 1490: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was born at Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia , Spain

• Family name and Coat of Arms: Cabeza de Vaca means "head of a cow" and was derived from a peasant ancestor who brought about a great victory over the Moors at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa 11 July, 1212. The peasant led the Spanish forces to to a vital, strategic  position which he indicated by placing the skull of a cow near it. The peasant was ennobled, given a new name (Cabeza de Vaca - "head of a cow") and a coat of arms

• His parents were Francisco de Vera and Teresa Cabeza de Vaca

• Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was well educated as befitted his status and would have been taught several languages, physics, geometry, mathematics, cartography and astronomy

• 1527: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca heard the stories about the New World and joined the expedition to the New World lead by Pamfilo de Narvaez

• Pamfilo de Narvaez had been commissioned by Emperor Carlos V to colonize the entire Gulf Coast of the New World from Florida to Mexico

• June 17, 1527: Pamfilo de Narvaez  leaves Spain from Cadiz with 300 men, including Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca who is appointed crown treasurer of the expedition, an important position in the fleet

• The expedition and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca reach Hispaniola where they stay for over 1 month

• From Hispaniola they travel to Santiago, Cuba on to Trinidad

• 1528 April 12: Pamfilo de Narvaez and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca arrive in Florida in the vicinity of Tampa Bay. The men disembark and the land is claimed for Spain

• May 1, 1528: Narvaez announces his plans for the expedition to split between land and sea expeditions

• Various disasters befall the expedition which eventually result in the party which includes Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca is whittled down from 80 men to 15 men and finally, to an expedition of just four men who are captured by natives

• The four remaining explorers, thought to include the first Europeans in Texas, were:

  • Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

  • Estevanico - a slave from North Africa

  • Alonzo del Castillo Maldonado

  • Andres Dorantes de Carranza

• Cabeza de Vaca and the other survivors live on the Isle of Misfortune as slaves but after a year escape to the mainland. They spend the next eight years in abject hardship exploring the land of Texas and Mexico, living and trading with the natives. Cabeza de Vaca is viewed as a medicine man by the Avavares tribe

• January 1536: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Estevanico, Alonso del Castillo and Andres Dorantes meet Spanish soldiers of New Spain in what is now the State of Sinaloa in northwest Mexico

• February 1536: The four explorers arrive at Culiacan, a frontier outpost of New Spain

• July 1536: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Estevanico, Alonso del Castillo and Andres Dorantes were welcomed to Mexico City by Hernan Cortes and Antonio de Mendoza, the Viceroy of New Spain

• April 1537: Cabeza de Vaca leaves for Spain but Estevanico, Alonso del Castillo and Andres Dorantes  stay in the New World

• 1537: Cabeza de Vaca reports on his eight year expedition across Texas. He also speaks of the inhumane treatment of the natives by the Spanish Conquistadors and the abuse of the Encomienda system. This coincides with new laws concerning the treatment of natives

• 1537: Cabeza de Vaca  is granted the post of Governor of the La Plata regions (Argentina)

• 1537: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca spends three years writing an account of his eight year expedition across Texas providing descriptions of his experiences, the land and the natives. It is called La relacion

• 1541: Cabeza de Vaca takes up his position as Governor of the La Plata regions (Argentina)

• 1542: La relacion is published

• 1543: Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca introduces new edicts about the fair treatment of natives and the suppression of slavery which correspond to the new laws in Spain

• 1543: The edicts of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca result in a reduction in revenue and his men rebel against him

• April 1543 to March 1544: Cabeza de Vaca is held prisoner

• 1544: Cabeza de Vaca is returned to Spain

• Cabeza de Vaca goes to Madrid to have his case tried before the Council of the Indies

• 1546: Cabeza de Vaca was sentenced to the loss of all of his offices in the La Plata Province and was exiled to North Africa

• 1551: His exile to North Africa was rescinded and he takes up residence in Seville

• 1559: Cabeza de Vaca dies in Valladolid, Spain

Interesting Facts, Timeline and Information about Cabeza de Vaca
Some interesting facts and biography information about the History, Life & Times of Cabeza de Vaca

Famous Explorers - Cabeza de Vaca- Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
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