Juan DÃaz de SolÃs
Juan DÃaz de SolÃs, (Lebrija,
Seville, 1470 â€"
Rio de la Plata, 1516),
Spanish navigator and
explorer.
DÃaz de SolÃs was navigator on expeditions to the
Yucatan in 1506 and
Brazil in 1508 with
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón. He became a pilot-major in 1512 following the death of
Amerigo Vespucci. Two years after appointment to this office, DÃaz de SolÃs prepared an expedition to explore the southern part of the new continent. His three ships and crew of 70 men sailed from
Sanlucar de Barrameda on
October 8,
1515. He followed the eastern coast as far as the mouth of the
Rio de la Plata. He reached and named the Rio de la Plata in February 1516, sailing up river to the confluence of the
Uruguay River and
Paraná River with two officers and seven men.
The little party had not proceeded far when they were attacked by local
Charrua or
Guarani(disputed). Surviving crew members reported DÃaz de SolÃs and most of the other men were killed and
cannibalized, thus putting the expedition to an end. Some sources believe that DÃaz de SolÃs was killed in a
mutiny and the story about being killed and cannibalized was forged by his crew. His brother-in-law,
Francisco de Torres, took charge of the ships and returned to Spain.
*
List of explorers*
Explorations
