Alonso de León facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alonso de León "El Mozo"
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| Born | 1639 |
| Died | 21 March 1691 Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
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| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | explorer and governor |
Alonso de León "El Mozo" (born around 1639, died 1691) was a brave explorer and important governor in a place called New Spain. This area is now parts of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. He led many trips to explore these lands.
Contents
Early Life of Alonso de León
Alonso de León González was born in 1639. His birthplace was a settlement called Cadereyta in Nuevo León, which was part of New Spain. He was the third son of General Alonso De León. His father was a famous writer, historian, and conquistador (a Spanish explorer and conqueror).
To tell him apart from his famous father, people often called him El Mozo. This Spanish phrase means "the younger."
Alonso de León trained in Spain to become a naval officer. He joined the Spanish navy in 1657. By 1660, he had returned to Nuevo León. He often led groups to explore new areas. He also became a successful businessman, especially in salt mining. De León married Agustina Cantú, and they had six children together.
Alonso de León's Expeditions
In 1684, a French explorer named La Salle tried to start a French colony. His plan was to build it at the mouth of the Mississippi River. But his group ended up on the Texas coast by mistake. There, La Salle started a settlement.
When Spanish leaders heard that the French had built a settlement in their territory, they chose De León to find it. His mission was to make the French colonists leave.
De León's first two trips, in 1686 and 1687, did not find the French colony. During his third trip in 1688, he captured a Frenchman named Jean Gery. Finally, on De León's fourth trip in 1689, he found La Salle's settlement. By then, the French had already left it.
Political Roles and Later Years
Alonso de León held several important political jobs. He served as the mayor of Cadereyta from 1667 to 1675. Later, he was the governor of Nuevo León from 1682 to 1684. In 1687, he became the governor of the region of Coahuila.
In 1690, he helped set up San Francisco de los Tejas. This was the first Spanish mission in East Texas. By doing this, he helped create the path for much of the Old San Antonio Road. During his explorations, he gave names to several Texas rivers. These include the San Marcos River, the Guadalupe, the Medina, the Nueces, and the Trinity.
Alonso de León died in Coahuila on March 20, 1691.
See also
In Spanish: Alonso de León "El Mozo" para niños
