Marcos de Niza facts for kids

Marcos de Niza, OFM (or Marco da Nizza; c. 1495 – 25 March 1558) was a French missionary and Franciscan friar from the city of Nice in the Duchy of Savoy. Marcos led the first Spanish expedition to explore what is now the American Southwest. His report of finding a "beautiful city", "more extensive than that of Mexico [City]", induced Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza to organize a large-scale entrada under the leadership of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. Marcos served as a guide for this expedition but when they failed to find the wealth they expected, Coronado blamed Marcos, called him a liar and sent the friar back to Mexico in disgrace.

Marcos remains a controversial historical figure and historians have argued without resolution over the veracity of his report and the itinerary of his expedition.

Background and early career

Almost nothing is known about the background of Marcos de Niza. He was born around 1495 and, as his name indicates, he was from the city of Nice which was then part of the Duchy of Savoy. Savoy was historically associated with Italy but many French lived there and contemporaries of Fray Marcos wrote that he was "French by nationality".

When he joined the Franciscan order in Nice, he followed custom and became known by his first name and place of origin. In French he would have been called Frère Marc de Nice but in the service of Spain he came known as Fray Marcos de Niza. His surname is unknown.

In 1530 Marcos travelled to Spain and then went on to the Americas. The details of his early travels in the New World are unclear. He may have first landed in Nicaragua but then soon joined Pizarro for the conquest of the Incas. According to Bartolomé de las Casas, Marcos later testified to many Spanish atrocities he had witnessed in Peru. He also worked in Guatemala and accompanied Pedro de Alvarado to Ecuador. Documents show that he was back in Guatemala by 1536 where he testified in a trial involving Alvarado. Meanwhile, his superiors must have been pleased with his work for he progressed through the ecclesiastical hierarchy from comisario to custodio and then provincia of the Mexican province.

In 1537, Marcos wrote to Archbishop Juan de Zumárraga in Mexico City to complain about the atrocities he had witnessed in Peru. Zumárraga requested his presence in Mexico City and suggested that Marcos write a report to the king in an effort to prevent further cruelties. There is no record of such a letter being written.

First expedition

Monument along the expedition path followed by Marcos de Niza

For years rumors had circulated of wealthy civilizations to the north of Mexico. In 1536 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his three companions reached to Mexico City as the only survivors of the Narváez expedition. Their account included references to possible cities in the north where great wealth might be found.

Inspired by these reports, Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza decided to send a small reconnaissance expedition northward in hopes of confirming the rumors. When the three surviving Spaniards from the Narváez expedition declined to lead the effort, Mendoza appointed Marcos de Niza as the leader and ordered Estevanico, the African slave who was the fourth companion of the survivors, to serve as a guide.

Marco had been recommended by his superior, Fray Antonio de Ciudad Rodrigo, who noted that he was a pious priest, familiar with "cosmography and navigation" and capable of leading a journey of discovery. In addition to Estevanico, a lay Franciscan friar, Onorato was assigned to the expedition as well as a half-dozen Indians whom Marco had been teaching the rudiments of Spanish and Christianity. The Indians were natives of Sinaloa in northern Mexico and it was hoped they could serve as translators and guides.

The viceroy provided Marcos with written instructions, telling him to take careful note of everything he encounters, including Indian tribes, flora and fauna, fertility of the soil and the availability of water. In addition, Marcos was to inquire about the proximity of the ocean in the hope that a gulf or inlet might be found to provide access to the interior. Finally, the viceroy emphasized that Marcos "always try to travel as safely as possible" and "avoid giving [the natives] any cause to take action against your person".

The expedition left Mexico City in the autumn of 1538, accompanied by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, the newly appointed governor of the frontier province Nueva Galicia at the northern edge of New Spain. By December 15, they were in Compostela, the provincial capital of Nueva Galicia. Once there, Coronado recruited nearly 100 Indians from the region to join the Marcos expedition. They proceeded north along the coast until reaching Culiacan, the northernmost Spanish outpost. Marcos and his party left Culiacan on March 7, 1539 and began their exploration.

Signature of letters and reports

A week or so after the expedition began they encountered one of their first native villages, Petatlan, where Brother Onorato fell ill and was left behind to recover. As the two remaining explorers ventured inland, they came to a village called Vacapa where Marcos celebrated Easter mass. The natives received the priest warmly and referred to him as Satoya, or "man from heaven".

While in Vacapa, Marcos sent Estevanico and a group of Indians ahead to explore the country for fifty or sixty leagues to the north. Estevanico was instructed to communicate by sending back crosses, where the size of the cross indicated the importance of his discoveries. Four days later, a cross arrived that was as tall as a person. Estevanico had heard reports of seven large and wealthy cities in a land to the north called Cíbola. The messengers urged Marcos to come at once and meet with the scouting party.

Despite instructions from Marcos to wait for him, Estevanico and his party hurried forward, while Marcos travelled at a more leisurely pace, stopping often to rest, speak with the locals, and perform religious ceremonies. After several days, Marcos came upon a pueblo where the people dressed in cotton robes and wore turquoise jewelry. They claimed to know about Cibola, a wealthy land with buildings ten stories high. Marcos continued to follow Estevanico who occasionally sent back messengers bearing large crosses.

Along the way, Marcos attracted a group of native followers who accompanied him on the journey to Cibola. These companions reinforced the idea that a great city was ahead of them. Sometime in late May, Marcos encountered two men from Estevanico's party. Bloody from wounds and greatly agitated, they brought news that Estevanico and his party had been attacked by the inhabitants of Cibola and many were killed, including Estevanico. Instead of risking his life and forfeiting the opportunity to report the information, Marcos decided not to go into the city of Cibola but to get close enough to view it. He described viewing the beautiful city of Cibola from a distance on a ridge. He described it as "bigger than the size of Mexico".

Coronado expedition

Marcos de Niza's expedition report spurred Mendoza to launch one of the biggest of all Spanish expeditions. It was led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. Marcos de Niza accompanied Coronado and his army on the journey back to the rumored Cibola. They ended up finding only a group of Zuni villages, not the Seven Cities of Cibola. At this time, Marcos de Niza was pronounced a liar and he was returned Mexico City. Even though his report never mentioned gold, the Spanish and Coronado expected to find riches.

See also

In Spanish: Marcos de Niza para niños