Juan de Onate

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

Short Biography of the life of Juan de Onate -
Spanish Conquistador and Explorer

The following biography information provides basic facts about the life Juan de Onate:

• Nationality - Spanish
• Lifespan - 1550 - 1630
• Family - Father was Don Cristobal de Onate
• Education - Well educated befitting his noble family
• Career - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
• Famous for : Establishing the colony of New Mexico for Spain

Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Juan de Onate -
Spanish Conquistador and Explorer

The following are additional facts and a timeline about the life and history of Juan de Onate:

• 1550: Juan de Onate was born in the New World in Zacatecas, Mexico
• His family was of the Spanish nobility and his father Don Cristobal de Onate had travelled to the New World as a Spanish soldier and settled in the new country
• Juan de Onate was well educated and raised in a family who were soldiers, explorers and the first of the Spanish colonists
• Juan de Onate married Isabel de Tolosa Cortes Moctezuma, granddaughter of Hernando Cortes(the Spanish conqueror of Mexico and the Aztec Empire) and great granddaughter of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma Xocoyotzin
• Juan de Onate and Isabel had a son and a daughter

• Juan de Onate spent his early life leading campaigns against the Chichimec Indians He also conducted searches for silver. During this time he played a major role in spreading Catholicism and establishing missions in the newly conquered territory
• 1595: In 1595 Juan de Onate received instructions fro King Philip II of Spain to continue his work further and colonize the region of the upper Rio Grande and New Mexico
• Three years passed in preparing for the exploration and new colonists to accompany the expedition
• 1598: The expedition started in January with 175 soldiers, their families and new settlers. They also took over 5,000 head of cattle and sheep in preparation of their colonisation plans
  • The expedition of Juan de Onate explored the territory of Mexico, Texas, and New Mexico. The road across this land is referred to as El Camino Real
  • Hopes and expectations were high - the colonists expected to find gold or silver
• 1598: April 30 Juan de Onate made a formal declaration of possession of New Mexico
• 1598: July Juan de Onate established the headquarters of the New Mexico colony at the first Spanish capital of San Juan de los Caballeros at the Tewa village of Ohke
• 1598: Juan de Onate holds a festival to give thanks for a safe passage across the Rio Grande River - it is referred to as the first Thanksgiving feast in America - 23 years before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock
• The colonists searched in vain for silver and soon became disillusioned with the expedition leading to desertion, and dissent. Don Juan de Onate proved to be a proud, arrogant and strict leader - dissenting  colonists and Indians were dealt with harshly
• New expeditions and explorations continued still hoping to find silver or gold
• 1601 June 23 - Don Juan de Onate encounters Plains Apache at the Canadian River whilst searching for the Seven Cities of Gold (Cibola)
• Meanwhile the conditions at the colony proved intolerable - lack of food, no silver and troubles with the natives led to widespread desertion - only a few of the original colonists remained
• News of conditions in the colony reached New Spain
• 1605: The government initiate an inquiry into the situation in New Mexico and the treatment of the Indians by Juan de Onate
• At the same time Oñate launched his last major expedition, from the Zuni pueblos to the Colorado River and down it to the Gulf of California
• 1605: Juan de Onate starts his final expedition from the Colorado River to the Gulf of California
• 1605 April 16: Juan de Onate visits El Morro inscribing his name on Inscription Rock. This rock is the site of ancient Native American petroglyphs
• 1606: King Philip III of Spain orders Juan de Onate  to Mexico City until allegations against him could be investigated but Juan de Onate does not receive the orders
• 1608: Juan de Onate is removed as governor and sent to Mexico City to be tried for mistreatment of the Indians and abuse of power
• 1613: Don Juan de Onate finally faced charges and was fined, banished from New Mexico permanently, and banished from Mexico City for four years
• He eventually went to Spain where the king gave him the position of a mining inspector
• 1626: Juan de Onate died in Spain on  June 3, 1626

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

Famous Explorers - Juan de Onate - Spanish Conquistador and Explorer
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