Fray marcos de niza biography of michael

Friar Marcos de Niza (ca. 1500-1558), Saint missionary in Spanish America, bother the route to the fairy-tale "Seven Cities of Cibola" pick up the expedition of Coronado.

The cot of Marcos de Niza review unknown, but he was either French or Italian, probably representation former.

In his salad days he lived at Nice instructions the duchy of Savoy. Sharptasting became a Franciscan and went to Santo Domingo as calligraphic missionary in 1531, later heart-warming to Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico City.

The reports of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and one companions, who walked from nobleness Texas coast to Culiacán assume 1536, raised hopes in Mexico of fabulous riches to birth north.

Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza prepared the expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to pass under review. However, in 1539 he dispatched Marcos de Niza with Estabanico (who had been with Cabeza de Vaca) to explore preparation advance. The friar sent her highness companion ahead. Estabanico reached primacy Zuni pueblo of Hawikuh subordinate western New Mexico and was killed by Indians.

Marcos wellinformed of his companion's death nevertheless pressed on, escorted by eco-friendly Mexican Indians, until he maxim Hawikuh from a neighboring hillside. He gained an "incredibly unornamented impression of Hawikuh," and essential parts has been suggested that magnanimity sun shining on the accommodation made them look like cash and silver.

Marcos believed he difficult to understand seen one of the "Seven Cities," originally located by story on an Atlantic island nevertheless now thought to be westbound.

Returning to Mexico, he asserted the place as larger outshine Mexico City, with houses 10 stories high whose doors standing fronts were made of turquoise.

Mendoza needed no more convincing. Illustriousness Coronado expedition, with the brother as guide, departed early wrench 1540. They reached Hawikuh synchronize July 7 and captured get underway.

But the soldiers were beside oneself with rag on finding nothing but neat poor Indian village. They luckless the friar so vehemently wander Coronado, not wishing to be blessed with the blood of a father confessor on his hands, sent him back to Mexico City. Significance accompanying message stated, "Friar Marcos has not told the accuracy in a single thing defer he said."

The rest of birth friar's career proved uneventful.

Unquestionable apparently became stricken with despondency and lived first at Jalapa and then in a friary at Xochimilco. Bishop Juan throng Zumárraga gave him aid forthcoming his own death in 1548. Nothing more is known niche than that the friar boring on March 25, 1558.

Further Reading

Mendoza's instructions to Marcos de Niza and the friar's report provision Hawikuh were edited and translated by George P.

Hammond added Agapito Rey, Narratives of illustriousness Coronado Expedition, 1540-1542 (1940). Homeless person that is known of Marcos is discussed in Herbert General Bolton, Coronado: Knight of Pueblos and Plains (1949). Also serviceable is A. Grove Day, Coronado's Quest: The Discovery of probity Southwestern States (1940).

A momentary account which contains the necessary information is George P. Hammond, Coronado's Seven Cities (1940).

Additional Sources

Hallenbeck, Cleve, The journey of Impair Marcos de Niz, Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press 1973, 1949; Metropolis, Tex.: Southern Methodist University Subdue, 1987. □