Origins & Early Life

Francisco de Orellana (Spanish pronunciation: [fɾanˈθisko ðe oɾeˈʎana]; 1511 – November 1546) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador significant to the Spanish exploration and conquests in South America. In one of the most improbably successful voyages in known history, Orellana managed to sail the length of the Amazon, arriving at the river's mouth on 24 August 1542. He and his party sailed along the Atlantic coast until reaching Cubagua Island, near the coast of Venezuela. Orellana founded the city of Guayaquil in what is now Ecuador, and died during a second expedition on the Amazon.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Born in Trujillo in western Spain (various birth dates, ranging from 1490 to 1511, are still quoted by biographers), Orellana was a close friend and possibly a relative (a cousin, according to some historians) of Francisco Pizarro, the Trujillo-born conquistador of Peru. He traveled to the New World (probably in 1527). Orellana served in Nicaragua until joining Pizarro's army in Peru in 1533 during the Conquest of the Inca Empire, where he supported Pizarro in his conflict with Diego de Almagro (1538). After the victory over De Almagro's men, he was appointed governor of La Culata....

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Kemal Reis — Contemporary (Died in 1511) (1511): Prominent Ottoman privateer and admiral active in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.
• Francisco de Vitoria — Contemporary (Died in 1546) (1546): Founder of the School of Salamanca, pivotal in natural law and international jurisprudence.
• Hayreddin Barbarossa — Contemporary (Died in 1546) (1546): Legendary Ottoman corsair and admiral who dominated the Mediterranean Sea.
• Mirabai — Contemporary (Died in 1546) (1546): A celebrated 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devoted follower of Krishna.
• Peter Faber — Historical peer (Died in 1546) (1546): Savoyard priest, theologian, and co-founder of the Society of Jesus.
• Tycho Brahe — Historical peer (Born in 1546) (1546): Pioneering Danish astronomer whose precise observations launched the Scientific Revolution.
• 2nd Dalai Lama — Historical peer (Died in 1542) (1542): Second Dalai Lama, a pivotal spiritual leader of Tibet from the late 15th to early 16th centuries.
• Hernando de Soto — Historical peer (Died in 1542) (1542): Spanish conquistador famous for exploring the southeastern United States.
• 1511 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1511
• 1546 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1546