EXPLORER
Hernando de Soto
1500 - 1542

Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (; Spanish: [eɾˈnando ðe ˈsoto]; c. 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, but is best known for leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States (through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and most likely Arkansas). He is the first European documented as having crossed the Mississippi River. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Hernando de Soto is the 61st most popular explorer (up from 74th in 2019), the 187th most popular biography from Spain (up from 246th in 2019) and the 9th most popular Spanish Explorer.
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who is most famous for exploring the Mississippi River.
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Among EXPLORERS
Among explorers, Hernando de Soto ranks 61 out of 498. Before him are William Baffin, Zhang Qian, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Henry Hudson, Himilco, and Diogo Cão. After him are Nikolay Przhevalsky, Yaqut al-Hamawi, John Ross, Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, Ferdinand von Wrangel, and Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar.
Most Popular Explorers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsWilliam Baffin
1584 - 1622
HPI: 72.23
Rank: 55
Zhang Qian
200 BC - 114 BC
HPI: 71.94
Rank: 56
Giovanni da Verrazzano
1485 - 1528
HPI: 71.94
Rank: 57
Henry Hudson
1570 - 1611
HPI: 71.66
Rank: 58
Himilco
550 BC - 500 BC
HPI: 71.23
Rank: 59
Diogo Cão
1440 - 1486
HPI: 71.23
Rank: 60
Hernando de Soto
1500 - 1542
HPI: 71.13
Rank: 61
Nikolay Przhevalsky
1839 - 1888
HPI: 70.68
Rank: 62
Yaqut al-Hamawi
1179 - 1229
HPI: 70.54
Rank: 63
John Ross
1777 - 1856
HPI: 70.44
Rank: 64
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse
1741 - 1788
HPI: 70.43
Rank: 65
Ferdinand von Wrangel
1797 - 1870
HPI: 70.41
Rank: 66
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
1465 - 1524
HPI: 70.37
Rank: 67
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1500, Hernando de Soto ranks 7. Before him are Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Mahidevran, Rüstem Pasha, Benvenuto Cellini, Wu Cheng'en, and Fatma Sultan. After him are Lala Mustafa Pasha, Gülfem Hatun, Bartolomeo Eustachi, John of Ávila, Al-Mutawakkil III, and Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. Among people deceased in 1542, Hernando de Soto ranks 6. Before him are James V of Scotland, Lapu-Lapu, Catherine Howard, Lisa del Giocondo, and 2nd Dalai Lama. After him are Dosso Dossi, Sayyida al Hurra, Peter Henlein, Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, Thomas Wyatt, and Girolamo Aleandro.
Others Born in 1500
Go to all RankingsCharles V, Holy Roman Emperor
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1558
HPI: 87.50
Rank: 1
Mahidevran
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1581
HPI: 79.62
Rank: 2
Rüstem Pasha
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1561
HPI: 78.62
Rank: 3
Benvenuto Cellini
SCULPTOR
1500 - 1571
HPI: 76.99
Rank: 4
Wu Cheng'en
WRITER
1500 - 1582
HPI: 73.86
Rank: 5
Fatma Sultan
NOBLEMAN
1500 - 1573
HPI: 72.87
Rank: 6
Hernando de Soto
EXPLORER
1500 - 1542
HPI: 71.13
Rank: 7
Lala Mustafa Pasha
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1580
HPI: 70.88
Rank: 8
Gülfem Hatun
COMPANION
1500 - 1561
HPI: 69.70
Rank: 9
Bartolomeo Eustachi
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1574
HPI: 69.44
Rank: 10
John of Ávila
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1500 - 1569
HPI: 69.02
Rank: 11
Al-Mutawakkil III
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1543
HPI: 68.42
Rank: 12
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba
EXPLORER
1500 - 1517
HPI: 67.96
Rank: 13
Others Deceased in 1542
Go to all RankingsJames V of Scotland
POLITICIAN
1512 - 1542
HPI: 83.19
Rank: 1
Lapu-Lapu
POLITICIAN
1491 - 1542
HPI: 79.66
Rank: 2
Catherine Howard
COMPANION
1523 - 1542
HPI: 77.14
Rank: 3
Lisa del Giocondo
PAINTER
1479 - 1542
HPI: 76.02
Rank: 4
2nd Dalai Lama
POLITICIAN
1476 - 1542
HPI: 74.19
Rank: 5
Hernando de Soto
EXPLORER
1500 - 1542
HPI: 71.13
Rank: 6
Dosso Dossi
PAINTER
1480 - 1542
HPI: 67.93
Rank: 7
Sayyida al Hurra
POLITICIAN
1485 - 1542
HPI: 64.88
Rank: 8
Peter Henlein
INVENTOR
1479 - 1542
HPI: 64.48
Rank: 9
Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford
COMPANION
1505 - 1542
HPI: 63.97
Rank: 10
Thomas Wyatt
WRITER
1503 - 1542
HPI: 62.43
Rank: 11
Girolamo Aleandro
POLITICIAN
1480 - 1542
HPI: 62.27
Rank: 12
In Spain
Among people born in Spain, Hernando de Soto ranks 187 out of 3,355. Before him are Carlota Joaquina of Spain (1775), Frederick III of Sicily (1272), Abraham ibn Ezra (1089), Raúl (1977), Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī (1029), and Peter IV of Aragon (1319). After him are Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal (1535), Marisa Paredes (1946), Pedro de Valdivia (1497), Juan Pujol García (1912), Xavi (1980), and Carlos Saura (1932).
Others born in Spain
Go to all RankingsCarlota Joaquina of Spain
NOBLEMAN
1775 - 1830
HPI: 71.24
Rank: 181
Frederick III of Sicily
POLITICIAN
1272 - 1337
HPI: 71.24
Rank: 182
Abraham ibn Ezra
PHILOSOPHER
1089 - 1167
HPI: 71.20
Rank: 183
Raúl
SOCCER PLAYER
1977 - Present
HPI: 71.20
Rank: 184
Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī
ASTRONOMER
1029 - 1087
HPI: 71.19
Rank: 185
Peter IV of Aragon
POLITICIAN
1319 - 1387
HPI: 71.17
Rank: 186
Hernando de Soto
EXPLORER
1500 - 1542
HPI: 71.13
Rank: 187
Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal
NOBLEMAN
1535 - 1573
HPI: 71.12
Rank: 188
Marisa Paredes
ACTOR
1946 - 2024
HPI: 71.12
Rank: 189
Pedro de Valdivia
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1497 - 1553
HPI: 71.09
Rank: 190
Juan Pujol García
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1912 - 1988
HPI: 71.09
Rank: 191
Xavi
SOCCER PLAYER
1980 - Present
HPI: 71.08
Rank: 192
Carlos Saura
FILM DIRECTOR
1932 - 2023
HPI: 71.07
Rank: 193
Among EXPLORERS In Spain
Among explorers born in Spain, Hernando de Soto ranks 9. Before him are Juan Sebastián Elcano (1476), Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475), Francisco de Orellana (1511), Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1510), Juan Ponce de León (1460), and Diego de Almagro (1475). After him are Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar (1465), Alonso de Ojeda (1466), Juan Díaz de Solís (1470), Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira (1542), Vicente Yáñez Pinzón (1460), and Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (1488).
Juan Sebastián Elcano
1476 - 1526
HPI: 77.91
Rank: 3
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
1475 - 1519
HPI: 75.02
Rank: 4
Francisco de Orellana
1511 - 1546
HPI: 73.93
Rank: 5
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado
1510 - 1554
HPI: 73.72
Rank: 6
Juan Ponce de León
1460 - 1521
HPI: 73.64
Rank: 7
Diego de Almagro
1475 - 1538
HPI: 72.51
Rank: 8
Hernando de Soto
1500 - 1542
HPI: 71.13
Rank: 9
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
1465 - 1524
HPI: 70.37
Rank: 10
Alonso de Ojeda
1466 - 1515
HPI: 69.94
Rank: 11
Juan Díaz de Solís
1470 - 1516
HPI: 69.38
Rank: 12
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
1542 - 1595
HPI: 68.93
Rank: 13
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
1460 - 1514
HPI: 68.82
Rank: 14
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
1488 - 1559
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 15