What Ship Did Hernando De Soto Sail On?

Hernando de Soto, a Spanish explorer, embarked on an expedition in April 1538 from Spain with 10 ships and 700 men. After a stop in Cuba, the expedition landed at Tampa Bay in May 1539. They moved inland and set up camp for the winter at a small Indian village near present-day Tallahassee. In the spring, De Soto led his men north, likely landed near Tampa, Florida at the end of May 1539.

De Soto’s expedition was well-funded and began with a fleet of 10 ships and 700 men. After a brief stop in Cuba, the expedition landed on the coast of Florida in May 1539. The Dávilas crew set sail on April 11, 1514, with a fleet of 20 ships and about 200 people. They crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed in the rainforests of Central America, taking about two months to reach these areas.

In 1539, de Soto and 650 men set sail from Seville, Spain, to La Habana Cuba, and departed from there in May 1539 for Florida. He was commissioned by the Spanish crown to conquer what is now Florida, and he explored the extensive region.

The expedition was led by Pedro Arias Dávila, appointed as the commander. In May 1539, de Soto landed nine ships with over 620 men and 220 people. The Spaniards beached their ship and prepared to spend their first night in a hostile land. One of de Soto’s ships, La Concepción, transported nearly 400 slaves per voyage.

The expedition set sail for Florida on May 18th, 1539, with five large vessels and four smaller ones. From the Canary Islands, the expedition sailed for Cuba and arrived at the city of Tallahassee.