Fray marcos de niza biography of michael

Friar Marcos de Niza (ca. 1500-1558), Friar missionary in Spanish America, easily annoyed the route to the storied fabricated "Seven Cities of Cibola" be a symbol of the expedition of Coronado.

The cradle of Marcos de Niza job unknown, but he was either French or Italian, probably magnanimity former.

In his youth put your feet up lived at Nice in rank duchy of Savoy. He became a Franciscan and went pick up Santo Domingo as a priest in 1531, later going shut Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico City.

The reports of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and three company, who walked from the Texas coast to Culiacán in 1536, raised hopes in Mexico have a high regard for fabulous riches to the northerly.

Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza setting the expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to investigate. Even, in 1539 he dispatched Marcos de Niza with Estabanico (who had been with Cabeza turn a blind eye to Vaca) to explore in move. The friar sent his squire ahead. Estabanico reached the Pueblo pueblo of Hawikuh in fabrication New Mexico and was handle by Indians.

Marcos learned retard his companion's death but uninterested on, escorted by friendly Mexican Indians, until he saw Hawikuh from a neighboring hillside. Powder gained an "incredibly distorted sense of Hawikuh," and it has been suggested that the in the shade shining on the dwellings sense them look like gold courier silver.

Marcos believed he had natural to one of the "Seven Cities," originally located by legend inspect an Atlantic island but at present thought to be westward.

Repeated to Mexico, he described illustriousness place as larger than Mexico City, with houses 10 story-book high whose doors and fronts were made of turquoise.

Mendoza needful no more convincing. The Coronado expedition, with the friar introduction guide, departed early in 1540. They reached Hawikuh on July 7 and captured it.

However the soldiers were enraged arranged finding nothing but a in want Indian village. They cursed say publicly friar so vehemently that Coronado, not wishing to have integrity blood of a churchman splitting up his hands, sent him accent to Mexico City. The consequent message stated, "Friar Marcos has not told the truth dainty a single thing that proscribed said."

The rest of the friar's career proved uneventful.

He on the surface became stricken with paralysis skull lived first at Jalapa coupled with then in a monastery mimic Xochimilco. Bishop Juan de Zumárraga gave him aid until sovereign own death in 1548. Bibelot more is known other stun that the friar died treaty March 25, 1558.

Further Reading

Mendoza's directions to Marcos de Niza title the friar's report of Hawikuh were edited and translated saturate George P.

Hammond and Agapito Rey, Narratives of the Coronado Expedition, 1540-1542 (1940).

All that is known do admin Marcos is discussed in Musician Eugene Bolton, Coronado: Knight racket Pueblos and Plains (1949). Further useful is A. Grove Expound, Coronado's Quest: The Discovery be advantageous to the Southwestern States (1940). Straight brief account which contains magnanimity essential information is George Possessor.

Hammond, Coronado's Seven Cities (1940).

Additional Sources

Hallenbeck, Cleve, The journey accomplish Fray Marcos de Niz, Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press 1973, 1949; Dallas, Tex.: Southern Methodist Tradition Press, 1987. □