The De Soto Chronicles Vol 1 & 2: The Expedition of Hernando de Soto to North America in 1539-1543

El Adelantado Don Hernando de Soto

by Rocio Sanchez Rubio Translated by Eduardo Kortright Dra. Roclo Sanchez Rubio is a native of Badajoz. She is currently at the University of Extremadura. Her research interest is the emigration of Extremadurans to the New World in the sixteenth century. The following biographical sketch of De Soto was published in Spain in 1988 as Number 25 in the Cuadernos Populares series of the Junta de Extremadura. This essay gives a good capsulized version of the life of Hernando de Soto and presents the Spanish point of view of the conquest. It is a point of view that allows for the expression of regional and national pride in the lives and accomplishments of the conquistadors. But it does not cover up the flaws of men such as De Soto, whose character encompassed as many notes of cruelty and caprice as of courage and nobility. This essay should be read as a counterpoint to the immediately following biography of De Soto by Paul Hoffman, a senior American historian with much experience in the field. Yet the spirit and verve of Roclo Sanchez Rubio's article catches well the spirit and nature of the conquistador class, men, such as Hernando de Soto, who helped elevate Spain to a world-class power in the sixteenth century. The finer points of modern archaeological debate-such as where exactly the De Soto entrada passed through the American Southeast and what was the effect of the Spanish expedition on Native American peoples-are addressed in this essay only in passing, if at all. However, for those wishing a general perspective on De Soto, his life and times, this is an informative place to begin. The Conquistador Like all human endeavors, the Spanish conquest of America was filled with "lights and shadows." Its principal figures have been caught between the Black Legend on the one hand and blind heroic adoration on the other, yet they deserve to be seen as they actually were: men of their times. Only in this way can a truly critical history of their accomplishments be written. Despite the fact that the conquest was a collective event, individuals-the triumph of the hero-stand out from the rest. The common features that characterized these men allow us to talk of a "Generation of the Conquista." Born between 1474 and 1504, they left for America very young, issuing mostly from Andalusia, Castille, and Extremadura; second-born sons of the petty nobility, impoverished noblemen and commoners, their social and cultural origins were diverse. Their heyday was between 15IO and 1545, coinciding with the reign of Emperor Charles V. Religious by conviction, their sword served not only the king, but also served God. They became divine instruments, waging a holy war that closely paralleled the one against the Turks during the same period. They gained experience in the Antilles and became acclimated there before making the great leap to the mainland. The vast continents of the Americas were marked by diverse climates, topography, vegetation, and fauna, as well as sharp contrasts in the customs, attitudes, and rituals of their inhabitants . The constant challenges that the New World offered these conquistadors called for remarkable powers of adaptation. Through their efforts they learned to respect this new world they trod upon. With few resources and lacking names or reputations, they left the Peninsula seeking honor, fame, and social and economic betterment in the New World. The great figures of the conquest were virtually unknown when they began their journeys to America. In their ambition and desire to stand out above others, they often refused to place themselves directly under the patronage of either the king's representatives or the leading captains. They did appeal to the monarch, but only to seek those offices and titles needed to undertake new adventures of conquest. Conflicts and lawsuits brought about by disputes over jurisdictional authority multiplied among the conquistadors , and these struggles for control of the subdued territories sometimes ended tragically. Without financial support from the crown, they personally financed every new expedition. If too expensive for one, they often formed partnerships . In exchange, they shared overseeing and recruiting the members of the expedition, and the parties tacitly agreed to share the benefits obtained. Thus, the conquest was primarily the fruit of private enterprise. In the following pages we will reconstruct the life of Hernando de Soto, a 384 ~ THE DE SOTO CHRONICLES representative example of the Spanish conquistador...