* Date of birth: Around 1490
* Place of birth: Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
* Date of death: May 25, 1559
* Place of death: Seville, Spain
* Occupation: Explorer, conquistador, governor
* Known for: His exploration of the southeastern United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who is best known for his exploration of the southeastern United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico. He was the first European to travel extensively through the interior of the present-day United States.
Here are some additional Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca facts:
* He was born into a wealthy family and received a good education.
* He studied law at the University of Salamanca in Spain.
* He served as treasurer of the expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez to explore Florida in 1528.
* When the Narváez expedition was shipwrecked, Cabeza de Vaca and a small group of survivors were stranded on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
* He spent eight years living among the Native American tribes of the region, learning their languages and customs.
* In 1536, Cabeza de Vaca and his companions set out on a journey across the continent to Mexico City.
* He arrived in Mexico City in 1537 and was hailed as a hero.
* He was appointed governor of the Spanish province of Río de la Plata in 1540 but was forced to resign in 1544 after a rebellion by his men.
* He returned to Spain in 1545 and published an account of his travels, titled "The Adventures of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca."
* His book is a valuable source of information about the Native American tribes of the southeastern United States and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
* He was accused of treason and imprisoned in 1551 but was later pardoned and released.
* He died in Seville, Spain, in 1559.