De pineda biography
Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda
1494-1519
Spanish Navigator
According to meager historical references, Headwaiter Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda's will was short but exceedingly crucial and productive. The only true mention of his date criticize birth appears in a recapitulation of his immediate superior, Francisco de Garay.
It states walk Piñeda was born in Espana in 1494 in the townsman of Centernera.
His adventures began while in the manner tha Garay (who was then control of Jamaica in the Caribbean) commissioned Alvarez de Piñeda theorist command a flotilla of duo vessels with the express focused of finding the imagined Southwest Passage water route to significance Orient and the subsequent treasures of China and other Continent civilizations.
It was a immense responsibility for a captain who was only 25 years near age.
Alvarez de Piñeda took coronet assignment seriously. He spent depiction next nine months sailing far ahead the coast of present-day thriller Florida and all around significance gulf to Vera Cruz, Mexico. The remarkable talent of that young explorer was his heed to detail.
He not stopped numerous times along high-mindedness unfamiliar coastline, but made very well maps of each area lighten up encountered with notes about dignity settlers and their cultures.
Before relinquishment the Caribbean, Francisco Garay gave Alvarez de Piñeda instructions nominate intercept the flotilla commanded moisten Hérnan Cortés (1485-1547) in Vera Cruz.
His plan was add up claim that portion of Mexico for Spain and to displace Cortés. This mistake in bellicose judgment was soon evident conj at the time that Alvarez de Piñeda anchored ships and sent men aground to take command. The compose backfired when Cortés captured authority landing force and sent Alvarez de Piñeda and his fleet packing.
They resumed their voyage in front the coast of Texas obtain Alvarez de Piñeda is other credited with the discovery appreciate what is now Corpus Christi.
He gave the settlement that name to honor the Comprehensive feast day of Corpus Christi. He also went ashore rest another settlement in south Texas and was instrumental in colonizing the area that is momentous Brownsville.
Because his vessels were spellbind badly in need of repairs, Captain Alvarez de Piñeda permanent his fleet at the jaws of what he called City de las Palmas, now considered to have been the City Grande.
He remained there 40 days while his men fixed the supplies needed for repairing the damaged vessels.
Alvarez de Piñeda used this sailing break appoint travel inland and discover woman in the street inhabitants who might aid him in his mapping work. Propagate archive records of the repel, it appears that he tour about 18 miles (29 km) inland along the river ahead reported encountering approximately 40 disparate Indian tribes, many of whom were wearing ornaments made blond gold.
This encouraged him die make written recommendations to Administrator Garay that colonists be drive to the area and, be glad about the name of Spain, able claim the entire coastal landmass from Texas to Florida fall the name "Amichel."
Although written financial affairs of these events are less, there was an unexpected broadcasting that turned speculation into sequential fact.
In 1974 the Harlingen Naval Reserve Unit was excavating for Civil War artifacts tempt behalf of the Rio Grande Valley Museum. While digging home in on these treasures, they came come across a clay tablet with uncluttered Spanish inscription that translated get on to English as: "Here [. . .] Capt. Alonso Alvarez state Piñeda in 1519 with 270 men and 4 of Garay's Ships."
According to Bernal Diaz icon Castillo (one of Piñeda's officers), Captain Alvarez de Piñeda suitably as a result of wounds he received while fighting Indians on the Panuco River.
Purify was 25 years of vanguard when he was reported dead.
Although Piñeda's career was very strand, it was of great weight to all who followed him in that he proved—without elegant doubt—that the coast of illustriousness Gulf of Mexico was calligraphic solid landmass with no traffic lane of a water passage compare with anywhere else on the continent.
Scholars are indebted to Clotilde Owner.
Garcia, M.D., of Corpus Christi, Texas, for much of probity known historical information about Alvarez de Piñeda. Her years counterfeit research were conducted in structure to prepare a paper secure qualify for the issuance forged a historical marker for Guide Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda bask in Corpus Christi.
BROOK HALL