Juan Bautista Pastene facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Bautista Pastene
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Idealized illustration of Pastene from Alonso de Ovalle's "Histórica relación del Reyno de Chile".
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| Born | 1507 |
| Died | 1580 |
Juan Bautista Pastene (born 1507, died 1580) was a brave Genoese explorer. He worked for the Spanish king and explored many coasts in South America. His journeys took him along the shores of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and all the way south to the Chiloé islands in Chile. He was a very important sea captain during the time of exploration.
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Early Life and Sea Adventures
Juan Bautista Pastene was born in Genoa, a city in Italy. His parents were Thomas and Esmeralda Solimana Pastene. He married Geneva Seixas and they had three children.
Pastene was an experienced sailor. He arrived in Honduras in 1526, sailing on his very own ship. Later, in 1536, he went to Peru to work for Francisco Pizarro, a famous Spanish conqueror. By 1544, he was the main pilot and master of a ship called the Concepción. Because of his great skill in sea travel, he was made the piloto mayor (chief pilot) of the Mar del Sur. This was the Spanish name for the Pacific Ocean back then.
Exploring the Coast of Chile
In 1543, King Charles V of Spain wanted to explore the southern parts of Chile. The Viceroy of Peru gave this important job to Pastene. For this, Pastene received the special title of general de la Mar del Sur, which meant he was the top naval commander of the Southern Sea.
In 1544, Pedro de Valdivia, another important Spanish leader, asked Pastene to explore the southern coasts even further. Valdivia wanted him to reach the Strait of Magellan. Pastene didn't quite make it to the Strait, but he explored a huge part of the Chilean coast. He was the first European to arrive at the Bay of Concepción in his ship, the "San Pedro," and claimed it for Spain.
Pastene also helped the new Spanish settlements in Chile. In 1545, he sailed to Peru to get supplies and help for the struggling colony. He returned in 1547 and made many other trips to support the new towns.
Helping New Settlements
In 1550, Pastene helped Valdivia's journey into the Mapuche lands, which is now the Biobío Region. Pastene arrived with his two ships at Penco on February 23, 1550, joining the land expedition. He was there when the city of Concepción was founded. On one trip to get supplies from an island, seven of his crew members were sadly killed by the islanders.
Later, during the time of Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, Juan Bautista Pastene made another sea trip down the coast to the Chiloé islands. He also held important positions in the city of Santiago, Chile. He was a regidor (a city council member) in 1548, 1551, 1553, 1557, and 1568. He even served as mayor in 1564. Pastene was also the first Governor of Valparaíso, an important port city. He passed away in 1580 in Santiago, Chile.
A town in Chile, Capitán Pastene, was named in his honor. This town was settled by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s. He was also the great-grandfather of Alonso de Ovalle, a Jesuit priest who wrote important historical accounts.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Bautista Pastene para niños
