Marcos de Niza

Marcos de Niza led the first expedition into the Southwestern United States. De Niza and his companion Estevan were sent out to explore to compete against the expeditions of Hernan Cortez. Estevan would meet his demise on the journey in the Zuni pueblos. He won much fame as a healer in Texas, but when he could not reciprocate among the Zuni they pierced him with arrows. However, De Niza would supposedly discover the Zuni pueblo of Cibola. His glowing description of the Seven Cities of Cibola inspired Coronado's expedition to find these seven cities of gold. Many researchers claim that De Niza never left Sonora, and the failure of Coronado to find these miraculous cities may confirm that assumption. He is still given credit as the leading the first expedition in the Southwestern United States.

Websites

Handbook of Texas Online- Marcos de Niza
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/NN/fni9.html

Encyclopedia.com-- Marcos de Niza
http://www.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/29730.html

The Mysterious Journey of Marcos de Niza
http://www.psi.edu/coronado/journeyofmarcosdeniza.html
 

Books/Manuscripts

His own personal narrative of Arizona discovered, by Fray Marcos de Niza, who in 1539 first entered these parts on his quest for the seven cities of Cibola; from the original Spanish [by] Bonaventure Oblasser, O.F.M.
E125 .M3 A3x

Relacion. The journey of Fray Marcos de Niza, by Cleve Hallenbeck. Illus.  and decorations by Jose Cisneros.
E125 .M3 A32 1973