Álvaro de Saavedra

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Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón († 1529 north of New Guinea ) was a Spanish navigator and explorer .

Saavedra was a relative of Hernan Cortez , the conqueror of Mexico. He followed this to New Spain in 1526 .

Saavedra was sent by Cortez in 1527 with three ships and 110 sailors from the Mexican west coast to the Spice Islands (today's Moluccas ) to help the García Jofre de Loaísa expedition . His hapless expedition had reached the Moluccas in 1528 and got involved in fighting with the Portuguese.

Saavedra reached the eastern Moluccas in February 1528 and finally Tidore in March , where the survivors of the Loaisa expedition had withdrawn. However, he had lost two of his ships and many crew members on the way, so that he could not help his countrymen militarily on his arrival on Tidore. That is why Saavedra set sail again on June 3rd. He chose a direct east route through uncharted waters to reach Mexico as quickly as possible and get help from Cortez.

On this trip Saavedra touched several islands in the north of New Guinea (probably including the Schouten Islands in Geelvink Bay and the Admiralty Islands ) and passed through the Caroline Islands . However, due to strong head winds, he had to cancel this route. In May 1529 he drove again along the north coast of New Guinea and reached the Marshall Islands , near which he died. His ship returned to the Moluccas.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Saavedra, Álvaro de
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Saavedra Cerón, Álvaro de (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spanish navigator and explorer
DATE OF BIRTH 15th century
DATE OF DEATH 1529
Place of death Marshall Islands