Talk:Hernando de Soto (explorer)

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[edit] Date of death

The date of de Soto's death is inconsistent within this article: at its head, the article states 21 May (as does Britannica), but the section "1542 – de Soto's Death" has it as 25 June.

Now, the date is probably not known with certainty, but we shouldn't have two different dates for the same event (particularly in the same article) without explanation. Does anyone have any information that could help?

—John Mark Williams <⌂|☏> 29 June 2005 10:36 (UTC)

I see that this inconsistency has been copied across from the German version of the article. In addition to any other help anyone can give, perhaps a German speaker would like to ask there?

—John Mark Williams <⌂|☏> 29 June 2005 10:48 (UTC)


[edit] A Good Man?

This article needs revision I dont think the folowing en-bolded should remain implemented.

The commonly assumed De Soto Trail runs in a west-northwest direction across the US states Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma until Texas. Other opinions argue for a northern route across Kentucky and Indiana to the Great Lakes. He was a good manDryzen 16:47, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Place of Birth

An anonymous editor posted the following, which is probably more properly put here than in the article mainspace, until one or the other can be properly cited ... "There is a dispute between Barcarrota, Spain and [Jerez de los Caballeros]], Spain for the bearth of Hernando de Soto, but there is a document where he expressed his desire of being buried in the Capilla de la Concepción (Chapel of the Conception) in the temple of San Miguel Arcángel (Saint Michael Archangel) in Jerez de los Caballeros, next to the rests of his mother, who is also buried there. This document seems to indicate that he was born in Jerez de los Caballeros." SkerHawx 19:49, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

This is an accurate assessment. It is unknown where he was born, with a couple likely candidates. Jerez de los Caballeros is the most common choice because that is where he wanted to be buried in his will and other family members are buried there, but not on really knows where he was born. -- Stbalbach 03:46, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Place of death

There is some inconsistency in this article: "He is presumed to have died on a branch of the Mississippi River near present-day Lake Village, Arkansas." vs. "De Soto County, Mississippi (where he allegedly died)..."

Did he die in Mississippi or Arkansas or is it completely unknown? -- Hestemand 18:52, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

He died on the western bank of the Mississippi, in the Indian town of Guachoya, near present-day McArthur, Arkansas. He was most likely buried in the middle of the Mississippi - wrapped in blankets loaded with sand to weigh his body down in the middle of the night so the Indians would not see that he was no an immortal Sun God - so I suppose the state of Mississippi could make a loose claim to his burial site on the state line - but he died in AK. The "Lake Village" thing is probably folklore/legend as there are a number of places that make that claim. -- Stbalbach 03:46, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Birthplace (vandalism?)

User:71.52.247.107 changed de Soto's birthplace from Barcarota to Jellez de Caballeros without explanation. My Spanish isn't good enough. Is this a joke? Looks like vandalism to me, so I reverted the change.

--Richard 15:40, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

Jellez de Caballeros is probably correct (see above). -- Stbalbach 03:46, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

Jerez de Los Caballeros es un pueblo importante de la provincia de Cadiz el Xerry o vino de Jerez, debe su nombre a Jerez de Los caballeros. 212.97.182.180 18:25, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] October 2006 - vandals

Errors introduced:

This article seems to have been edited and some problems introduced. I have compared the text with cached versions, and this article needs to be checked to remove problems.

For example:

"Later, de Soto led the samllest expedition of both the 15th century and the 16th century through what would become the Southeastern coolstates and the Midwestern United States searching for gold and silver and other valuable goods."

"His only cool possessions then were a shield and his sword."

Probably someone thought they were being funny, or some vandalism.

Bob in MD, October 2, 2006

Thank you, corrected. -- Stbalbach 03:46, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Death Of DeSoto

I corrected this but DeSoto died on may, 22 1522 not may, 22 1542

Cocoaguy 16:23, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

    • sorry he actualy died on may 21 1542 Cocoaguy 16:29, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How De Soto died

I found that died of fever on may, 21 1542

Cocoaguy 15:59, 15 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Year of Birth

I don't think his actual birthdate is known, but an anonymous user just changed the year of his birth from 1500->1499. Granted it still has circa 1499, but does anyone have a good source for a consensus on this? Also, the article is in the category 1496 births... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Prometheusg (talk • contribs) 00:20, 3 February 2007 (UTC).

This article has long been a constant target of vandalism, often the sneaky kind. Corrected the date and left a footnote to hopefully make it stick better. 1496/97 is correct, at least according to the latest Encyclopedia Britannica. -- Stbalbach 17:09, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] de Soto's befriending Atahualpa

In reading the history in this article, it strikes me that de Soto was not the most benevolent of people towards the indigenous population. Therefore, when Pizzaro took Atahualpa captive, why did de Soto strike an accord with him and befriend him? Was there an ulterior motive? Is there any research on their relationship? Cometstail 03:05, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] report vcVHCVh dvtydrv

cv d n aq GJBV —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.250.11.26 (talk) 01:19, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Changes to article

There have been a lot of changes the article and some of it is good, and some of it is not. I'm not sure where to start because there is so much to cover. A lot of very good material was deleted with no explanation. I happy to work together, and I tried to make an integration of both the old and new in places where I thought the old material was better, going through it line by line, sentence by sentence. -- Stbalbach 14:25, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Add An External Link?

I'm new to Wiki work, but not coding/designing. I'd like to add an external link, but this article seems locked to editing for me. Here's the link ...

Thanks David Hager, M.D. 03:19, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

Please see the policies at WP:EL and WP:COI. -- Donald Albury 03:44, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sorry!

I feel a little like an ignorant bull in a china shop.

Lin's years of research into Florida history and his writings, especially about south Florida history, might be useful somehow to Wikipedia. At age 87, though, he is not going to be the one to do the Wiki entries. Over the past couple of years I've thought of trying to integrate his work into Wikipedia somehow, but God only put 24 hours into each day.

Any comments about this as a reference by those in the know?

David Hager, M.D. 03:17, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cabeza de Vaca

Cabeza de Vaca's expedition came before de Soto. Several passages in this article state that de Soto was the first one to explore several of these areas and interact with its peoples.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.13.122.34 (talk • contribs)

First of all, Cabeza de Vaca was part of Pánfilo de Narváez's expedition. Vaca's name has come down to us because he was one of the very few survivors of that expedition, and wrote an account of it after finally returning to 'civilization'. Narváez followed a route that is believed to have been very close to the Gulf coast. While he entered into Apalachee territory, he did not reach the Apalachee capital of Anhaica before turning south to the Gulf coast and attempting to reach New Spain (Mexico) by sea. De Soto followed a more inland route, passing through what are now Marion and Alachua Counties, and he did reach Anhaica, where he spent the winter before moving up into what are now Georgis, Alabama, Mississippi and possibly, South Carolina and Tennessee. -- Donald Albury 22:27, 9 February 2008 (UTC)