However, Bloom , , Hartmann , and Nallino and Hartmann in press developed seemingly conclusive proof that Marcos, following Mendoza's orders, sent back messengers with news of his discoveries.
Thus, it was the good news gathered by Marcos on his way north, not Marcos himself with his more sobering final outcome, that arrived in Mexico City by messenger in July.
This is supported by letters of Coronado which remark on the arrival of a message from Marcos, and in one crucial letter written in Compostela July 15 even refer to the good treatment given Estevan. At the time of this letter, Estevan was dead, which Coronado would have known if Marcos had arrived, but would not have known if the news was in a message sent back by Marcos on the way north.
The conclusion that Marcos did not arrive in Mexico until mid to late August essentially removes the time constraint and negates any claim that he had inadequate time.
Furthermore, if as part of a conspiracy with Mendoza Marcos never traveled beyond the region of the modern border, as claimed by Sauer, it seems beyond belief that he would turn around and volunteer to lead the Coronado army all the way to Cibola - and expect to get away with the fraud. In any case, Marcos remains an intriguing and enigmatic character: priest, accused charlatan, courageous traveler, and first methodical purposeful explorer of the American southwest.
Perhaps one day, some lucky scholar studying the archives in Seville, Spain, or the archives in Mexico City, or some musty documents in a small village church somewhere in Mexico, will turn up more documents that finally reveal the truth about this first explorer to document the unknown lands of the U. All Rights Reserved. Skip to main content. Login Register. You are here Home.
The Controversy Rages On Marco died in in disgrace, everyone having blamed him for leading Coronado's army on a fruitless quest under false pretenses. Purposes of Marcos' Journey Viceroy Mendoza gave Marcos a specific list of instructions which we still have. The Mysterious Journey of Marcos de Niza The route of Marcos in is known in very rough outline, but scholars have grand arguments over the details. Hypothetical reconstruction of Marcos de Niza's route to the north.
The journey started from the old location of Culiocon and worked north along the coast, turning inland to the village of Vacapa. Details of the route are sketchy and controversial. The extent of his reported foray west, to explore the head of the Gulf, is uncertain. Origin of the Name "Cibola" Marcos de Niza was the first person to record the name Cibola, reported to him by Estevan the Moor, who learned it from native informants.
Marcos de Niza collected what he called "cow hides" from the Indians in Sonora, Mexico, who first told him about Cibola. I remarked that houses of the style they described, several stories high, seemed impossible. To make me understand, they took soil and ashes and mixed them with water, and showed me how they placed the stones, and how the edifice was built up, placing stones and mortar until it reached the required height.
I asked them if the men of that country had wings to reach the upper stories; they laughed and explained the concept of ladders to me as well as I could explain it.
They took a stick and placed it over their heads, saying this was the height, from one story to the next This photo from the late s shows the appearance of the one surviving example of the Seven Cities of Cibola, much as it appeared in the time of Marcos.
It shows how the pueblo structure gives the impression of three to five stories' height. This was the style of construction in which was accurately described to Marcos by natives as far south as central Sonora. The river valleys described by Marcos de Niza were well-watered and dotted with native villages about a mile apart. Today, many of these villages have only dry riverbeds because urban growth and farming have pumped underground water and lowered the water table.
This view shows the beautiful Santa Cruz headwaters in Sonora, Mexico. The river flowed through Tucson until around , but today is dry. Perhaps it was a half-hearted diversion, because he gives it only a few vague lines: Here, I learned that the coast turns abruptly to the west, though it had been running to the north.
As a change in the direction of the coast was a matter of importance I wished to learn about it, and so I went to view it, and saw clearly that, in latitude 35 degrees, it turns to the west. A little-known monument near the small town of Lochiel, Arizona, commemorates the place where Marcos de Niza crossed from Mexico into the present United States in The exact location of this crossing is unknown, but the monument may be within a few tens of miles of the spot. I proceeded to distribute what I had left of the garments and trade articles, to calm them, and I urged them to realize that even if they killed me, they could really not harm me because I would die a Christian, and would go to heaven.
But those who killed me would suffer for it, because more Christians would come in search for me and kill all of them, even thought that would be against my own wishes. These words and my other speeches appeased them, though they still were angry over the people who had been killed. I proposed that some of them should go on with me to Cibola, to see if any others had escaped, and to learn what we could about Estevan.
I could get nowhere with this idea. At last, two of the chiefs, seeing me determined to go on, said they would go with me. It has the appearance of a very beautiful town, the best I have seen in these parts. The houses are of the style that the Indians had described to me, all of stone, with stories and terraces, as well as I could see from a hill where I was able to view it.
The city is bigger than Mexico City. He has also been accused of conspiring with Mendoza to strengthen the viceroy's case for exploring in the north. Others, more charitably, have suggested that his imagination played tricks on him. The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style , 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.
David J. Texas Vistas Third Edition. The Coronado expedition, with the friar as guide, departed early in They reached Hawikuh on July 7 and captured it. But the soldiers were enraged on finding nothing but a poor Indian village. They cursed the friar so vehemently that Coronado, not wishing to have the blood of a churchman on his hands, sent him back to Mexico City. The accompanying message stated, "Friar Marcos has not told the truth in a single thing that he said.
With the reality of what the Spanish found, Fray Marcos returned to Mexico in shame. He died there in March Discovery and Exploration of America. Exploration of America. The Spanish Explore America.
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