EXPLORER
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
1488 - 1559

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈalβaɾ ˈnuɲeθ kaˈβeθa ðe ˈβaka] ; c. 1488/90/92 – after 19 May 1559) was a Spanish explorer of the New World, and one of four survivors of the 1527 Narváez expedition. During eight years of traveling across what is now the US Southwest, he became a trader, evangelist, and faith healer to various Native American tribes before reconnecting with Spanish civilization in Mexico in 1536. After returning to Spain in 1537, he wrote an account of his experiences, first published in 1542 as La relación y comentarios ("The Account and Commentaries"), and later retitled Naufragios y comentarios ("Shipwrecks and Commentaries"). Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca is the 85th most popular explorer (up from 87th in 2019), the 285th most popular biography from Spain (up from 291st in 2019) and the 15th most popular Spanish Explorer.
Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer who led the first European expedition into the interior of the North American continent.
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Among EXPLORERS
Among explorers, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ranks 85 out of 498. Before him are Xu Fu, Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir, Richard Francis Burton, Stepan Makarov, Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón. After him are Diego Columbus, Jeanne Baret, Willem Janszoon, Tristão da Cunha, Jean de Béthencourt, and Sebastian Cabot.
Most Popular Explorers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsXu Fu
255 BC - Present
HPI: 69.28
Rank: 79
Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir
1000 - 1100
HPI: 69.00
Rank: 80
Richard Francis Burton
1821 - 1890
HPI: 69.00
Rank: 81
Stepan Makarov
1848 - 1904
HPI: 68.96
Rank: 82
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
1542 - 1595
HPI: 68.93
Rank: 83
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
1460 - 1514
HPI: 68.82
Rank: 84
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
1488 - 1559
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 85
Diego Columbus
1479 - 1527
HPI: 68.73
Rank: 86
Jeanne Baret
1740 - 1807
HPI: 68.70
Rank: 87
Willem Janszoon
1570 - 1631
HPI: 68.59
Rank: 88
Tristão da Cunha
1460 - 1540
HPI: 68.52
Rank: 89
Jean de Béthencourt
1362 - 1425
HPI: 68.25
Rank: 90
Sebastian Cabot
1484 - 1557
HPI: 68.19
Rank: 91
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1488, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ranks 6. Before him are Titian, Jungjong of Joseon, Ulrich von Hutten, Bartolommeo Bandinelli, and Germaine of Foix. After him are Lütfi Pasha, Ferdinand Columbus, Sebastian Münster, Charles II, Duke of Savoy, Joseph Karo, and Otto Brunfels. Among people deceased in 1559, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ranks 8. Before him are Henry II of France, Christian II of Denmark, Christian III of Denmark, Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, Isabella Jagiellon, and Beyhan Sultan. After him are Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, William I, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Benvenuto Tisi, Gelawdewos, Michele Sanmicheli, and Robert Estienne.
Others Born in 1488
Go to all RankingsTitian
PAINTER
1488 - 1576
HPI: 84.62
Rank: 1
Jungjong of Joseon
POLITICIAN
1488 - 1544
HPI: 73.06
Rank: 2
Ulrich von Hutten
WRITER
1488 - 1523
HPI: 71.81
Rank: 3
Bartolommeo Bandinelli
PAINTER
1488 - 1560
HPI: 70.88
Rank: 4
Germaine of Foix
NOBLEMAN
1488 - 1536
HPI: 69.50
Rank: 5
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
EXPLORER
1488 - 1559
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 6
Lütfi Pasha
POLITICIAN
1488 - 1562
HPI: 68.63
Rank: 7
Ferdinand Columbus
EXPLORER
1488 - 1539
HPI: 67.16
Rank: 8
Sebastian Münster
GEOGRAPHER
1488 - 1552
HPI: 66.43
Rank: 9
Charles II, Duke of Savoy
POLITICIAN
1488 - 1496
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 10
Joseph Karo
WRITER
1488 - 1575
HPI: 64.96
Rank: 11
Otto Brunfels
BIOLOGIST
1488 - 1534
HPI: 63.89
Rank: 12
Others Deceased in 1559
Go to all RankingsHenry II of France
POLITICIAN
1519 - 1559
HPI: 81.63
Rank: 2
Christian II of Denmark
POLITICIAN
1481 - 1559
HPI: 77.34
Rank: 3
Christian III of Denmark
POLITICIAN
1503 - 1559
HPI: 73.19
Rank: 4
Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
POLITICIAN
1508 - 1559
HPI: 70.68
Rank: 5
Isabella Jagiellon
POLITICIAN
1519 - 1559
HPI: 70.21
Rank: 6
Beyhan Sultan
POLITICIAN
1497 - 1559
HPI: 70.20
Rank: 7
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
EXPLORER
1488 - 1559
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 8
Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk
POLITICIAN
1517 - 1559
HPI: 67.55
Rank: 9
William I, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
NOBLEMAN
1487 - 1559
HPI: 64.80
Rank: 10
Benvenuto Tisi
PAINTER
1481 - 1559
HPI: 64.73
Rank: 11
Gelawdewos
NOBLEMAN
1522 - 1559
HPI: 64.27
Rank: 12
Michele Sanmicheli
ARCHITECT
1484 - 1559
HPI: 63.83
Rank: 13
Robert Estienne
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1503 - 1559
HPI: 63.33
Rank: 14
In Spain
Among people born in Spain, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ranks 285 out of 3,355. Before him are Luis de la Fuente (1961), Maria Luisa, Duchess of Lucca (1782), Ruy López de Segura (1530), Ibn Jubayr (1145), Vicente Yáñez Pinzón (1460), and Ferdinand II of León (1137). After him are Ibn al-Baitar (1197), Rafael Nadal (1986), Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (1436), Urraca of León (1081), Ildefons Cerdà (1815), and Muhammad I of Córdoba (823).
Others born in Spain
Go to all RankingsLuis de la Fuente
COACH
1961 - Present
HPI: 68.89
Rank: 279
Maria Luisa, Duchess of Lucca
POLITICIAN
1782 - 1824
HPI: 68.88
Rank: 280
Ruy López de Segura
CHESS PLAYER
1530 - 1580
HPI: 68.85
Rank: 281
Ibn Jubayr
GEOGRAPHER
1145 - 1217
HPI: 68.82
Rank: 282
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
EXPLORER
1460 - 1514
HPI: 68.82
Rank: 283
Ferdinand II of León
POLITICIAN
1137 - 1188
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 284
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
EXPLORER
1488 - 1559
HPI: 68.79
Rank: 285
Ibn al-Baitar
BIOLOGIST
1197 - 1248
HPI: 68.76
Rank: 286
Rafael Nadal
TENNIS PLAYER
1986 - Present
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 287
Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1436 - 1517
HPI: 68.73
Rank: 288
Urraca of León
POLITICIAN
1081 - 1126
HPI: 68.73
Rank: 289
Ildefons Cerdà
ENGINEER
1815 - 1876
HPI: 68.73
Rank: 290
Muhammad I of Córdoba
POLITICIAN
823 - 886
HPI: 68.72
Rank: 291
Among EXPLORERS In Spain
Among explorers born in Spain, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ranks 15. Before him are Hernando de Soto (1500), Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar (1465), Alonso de Ojeda (1466), Juan Díaz de Solís (1470), Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira (1542), and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón (1460). After him are Benjamin of Tudela (1130), Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (1500), Ferdinand Columbus (1488), Gonzalo Pizarro (1510), Martín Alonso Pinzón (1441), and Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1492).
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
Benjamin of Tudela
1130 - 1173
HPI: 68.08
Rank: 16
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba
1500 - 1517
HPI: 67.96
Rank: 17
Ferdinand Columbus
1488 - 1539
HPI: 67.16
Rank: 18
Gonzalo Pizarro
1510 - 1548
HPI: 67.13
Rank: 19
Martín Alonso Pinzón
1441 - 1493
HPI: 67.09
Rank: 20
Bernal Díaz del Castillo
1492 - 1584
HPI: 66.99
Rank: 21