Francisco Vasquez Coronado
Francisco Vasquez Coronado lived from about 1500 to 1545. He was a gentleman from Salamanca, Spain, who came to New Spain in 1535. By a brilliant mariage he became a leading nobleman and in 1539 was appointed governor of the prvince of New Galicia. A full account of his exploration was written by one of the soldiers of his army, and there are also letters written by Coronado himself, to Charles the Fifth, the Spanish King. That Coronado entered Oklahoma seems reasonably certain from these records. But the exploration did not lead to the establishment fo settlements or colonies. They are of interest to the people today only because they were the first white men to visit this region.
Ann Maloney, Bartlesville,
OK.
Copyright © 1998 Ann Maloney all rights reserved.
