Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto
Born around 1500 in the Extermadura region of Spain. De Soto was the second born son to a minor country noble. Growing up learning horse riding, armed combat, reading and writing Hernando de Soto would have to look outside of his estate for wealth and glory due to his birth status. At the age of 14, Hernando de Soto would leave Extremadura for Seville and enlist in the expedition to conquer and colonize the New World. Like his childhood hero Balboa, De Soto would make his way to the colony of Darien located in Panama. De Soto's horsemanship skills would be put to use as a member of the cavalry. He would serve under Pedrarias Davila in his bloody conquest of Panama and Nicaragua.
Named El Furor Domini (The Scourge of God) by his men Pedrarias would instill fear in his soldiers and wage a brutal
campaign against the native peoples of Central America. Later De Soto would serve with Balboa during his South Sea campaign
as he would attempt to establish a new colony on the ismus of Panama. due to
mounting tension of rule and paranoia, Pedrarias would have Balboa (his now son-in-law) arrested and executed for treason.
De Soto would carefully navigate the political upheavals and executions carried out by
Pedrarias and eventually rise to a position of prominence in the colony.
De Soto would enter into a partnership or compania with two other men, Hernan Ponce de Leon and Francisco Companon. They would make a small fortune breeding horses and shipping and trading Indian slaves.