Cristóbal Diatristán de Acuña facts for kids
Cristóbal Diatristán de Acuña (born 1597, died around 1676) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary and explorer. He is well-known for his journey down the Amazon in 1639. He also wrote an important book about his discoveries.
Contents
Biography of Cristóbal de Acuña
Early Life and Jesuit Work
Cristóbal de Acuña was born in Burgos, Spain. In 1612, he joined the Jesuit order. Jesuits are a group of Catholic priests and brothers. They often travel to different parts of the world to teach and spread their faith.
Acuña was sent to Chile and Peru in South America to work as a missionary. A missionary is someone who travels to share their religious beliefs. He later became the head of a college in Cuenca.
Exploring the Amazon River
In 1639, Acuña joined an important expedition. He traveled with Pedro Teixeira on his second trip to explore the Amazon River. Acuña's job was to observe things scientifically. He also had to write a report for the Spanish government.
The journey down the Amazon River lasted ten months. When they arrived in Belém, Acuña wrote his detailed story. He waited there for a ship to take him back to Europe.
His Book and Later Life
Acuña's book was called Nuevo Descubrimiento del Gran Río de las Amazonas. This means "New Discovery of the Great River of the Amazons." It was published in Madrid in 1641.
However, the king of Spain, Philip IV, was not happy about the book. He was worried that the Portuguese people, who had just separated from Spain, would use the information in the book. He even tried to stop the book from being widely read.
Later, Acuña held important positions. He worked for the Jesuits in Rome and for the Spanish Inquisition in Madrid. He then returned to South America. He likely passed away there soon after 1675.
Discovering the Casiquiare Canal
Acuña was the first person to describe the Casiquiare canal in 1639. This is a special natural waterway. It connects the Amazon River and the Orinoco River. This discovery was very important for understanding the geography of the region.
See also
In Spanish: Cristóbal de Acuña para niños
