Fortún Ximénez facts for kids
Fortún Ximénez Bertandoña was a Spanish sailor from the Basque region. He died in 1533. He is known for leading a mutiny (a rebellion against the ship's captain) during an early trip along the coast of Mexico. He was also the first European known to land in Baja California.
Contents
Early Voyages and the Concepción
Fortún Ximénez was the pilot of a ship called the Concepción. This ship was sent by Hernán Cortés, a famous Spanish explorer. The captain of the Concepción was Diego de Becerra.
The ship started its journey on November 30, 1533. It sailed north from a place called Manzanillo, Colima, in what was then known as New Spain. The main goal was to find two ships that had disappeared the year before.
These early trips were also looking for a special waterway. People hoped to find the "Strait of Anián," which was believed to be the western end of the Northwest Passage. This passage was a sea route that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They also searched for the "Island of California." This island was a mythical place from a popular book called Las sergas de Esplandián. In the book, California was a beautiful paradise with only dark-skinned women.
The Mutiny and Discovery
During the voyage, Ximénez led a rebellion against Captain Becerra. The captain was killed during this mutiny. After the rebellion, the sailors landed near what is now La Paz. This area is at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. The rebellious sailors thought they had found the mythical Island of California.
However, Fortún Ximénez was killed in a fight with the local native people. The sailors who survived returned to New Spain. They brought back stories of finding black pearls. These stories made people very interested in the area. Cortés later named the peninsula "Santa Cruz."
Later Explorations
The stories about the pearls led to more trips by Hernán Cortés in the years that followed. These trips led to some short-lived pearl fishing. But the pearl fisheries did not last very long.
See also
Sources
- Caughey, John W. California, second edition (Englewood: Prentice-Hall, 1953), 45-46.
- Chapman, Charles E. A History of California: The Spanish Period (New York: The MacMillan Co., 1921), 50-51.
Images for kids
-
A robot for kids.
