Juan Fernández Ladrillero
Encyclopedia
Juan Fernández Ladrillero (b. c. 1590, Moguer
– died ?) was a 16th century Spanish
navigator
and explorer who from 1557 to 1559 explored the coast of Chile
from Valdivia
(39° 48’ S) to Canal Santa Barbara (54° S). He was the first to navigate the Strait of Magellan
from its western entrance to its eastern and back again.
. He piloted the fleet that brought Don Antonio de Mendoza
to Mexico
as viceroy, and in 1539-40 he commanded a fleet of five sail, in which he discovered the Bahia de la Cruz and help to found Buenaventura, in Colombia
. Earlier in 1539 he commanded Hernando Cortés's San Lázaro, carrying various goods from Tehuantepec
to Panama
. In 1545 he left for Quito
and then moved to Lima
. He then spent several years in retirement on his encomienda
in Chuquiago
.
. On 9 December, Ladrillero in San Luis was separated from the other two vessels, under Cortés Hojea—who would explore the Chilean fjords and sounds to the southward independently.
Ladrillero spent the whole month of January 1558 exploring the intricate coastline of southern Chile. After calling at he place he named "Bahia de San Lazáro" (modern Estrecho Nelson, at 51° 30’ S) and passing the western entrance of the Strait of Magellan, he sailed along Desolación Island
, past Santa Inés Island and entered Canal Santa Barbara (54° S), which connects to the strait. From 22 March to 22 July he stayed in a harbor he called "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios" (which Ladrillero locates at around latitude 53° 30’ S; probably the harbor now named Sea Shell).
He probably entered the strait near the end of July; by 9 August he had reached Cape Virgenes
. He ventured up several canals, only to find them deadend. Landing at Punta de San Gregorio, he took formal possession of the region for Spain. Only one of his names from this voyage survives today: Bahia Posesión. He spent less than a day in the South Atlantic before turning back, probably not reaching the western entrance before early March 1559. After a stormy passage, he made Valdivia
.
Moguer
Moguer is a municipality and small city located in the province of Huelva, Andalusia, Spain. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 18,381. Its surface area is , and its population density is ....
– died ?) was a 16th century Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
and explorer who from 1557 to 1559 explored the coast of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
from Valdivia
Valdivia
-Geography:*Chile** Valdivia, Chile, a city and municipality in the Province of Valdivia** Valdivia River, a river which begins in the city of Valdivia** Valdivia Province, the Province of Valdivia...
(39° 48’ S) to Canal Santa Barbara (54° S). He was the first to navigate the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
from its western entrance to its eastern and back again.
Early career
Ladrillero went to sea at an early age. In 1535, after having made eleven round voyages from Spain to the West Indies, he received a pilot's license from Sebastian CabotSebastian Cabot (explorer)
Sebastian Cabot was an explorer, born in the Venetian Republic.-Origins:...
. He piloted the fleet that brought Don Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco, Marquis of Mondéjar, Count of Tendilla , was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from April 17, 1535 to November 25, 1550, and the second viceroy of Peru, from September 23, 1551 to July 21, 1552...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as viceroy, and in 1539-40 he commanded a fleet of five sail, in which he discovered the Bahia de la Cruz and help to found Buenaventura, in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Earlier in 1539 he commanded Hernando Cortés's San Lázaro, carrying various goods from Tehuantepec
Tehuantepec
Tehuantepec is a city and municipality in the southeast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region. The area was important in pre Hispanic period as part of a trade route that connected Central America with what is now the center of...
to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. In 1545 he left for Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
and then moved to Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
. He then spent several years in retirement on his encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
in Chuquiago
Chuquiago
Chuquiago, , is the Aymara name for the area that later became the city of La Paz, Bolivia. This aymara name comes from two aymara words "chuqui", 'gold' and "yapu", 'farm'. Residents of Chuquiago are called "Chukuta"....
.
Exploration of southern Chile
At end of 1557 the governor general of Chile, Don García Hurtado de Mendoza, placed Ladrillero in command of an expedition "to discover, explore and take formal possession of all the country from Valdivia south, and through the Strait of Magellan." On 17 November, with the ships San Luis, San Sebastián, and bergantina San Salvador, he sailed from Concepción, ChileConcepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
. On 9 December, Ladrillero in San Luis was separated from the other two vessels, under Cortés Hojea—who would explore the Chilean fjords and sounds to the southward independently.
Ladrillero spent the whole month of January 1558 exploring the intricate coastline of southern Chile. After calling at he place he named "Bahia de San Lazáro" (modern Estrecho Nelson, at 51° 30’ S) and passing the western entrance of the Strait of Magellan, he sailed along Desolación Island
Desolación Island
Desolación Island is an island at the western end of the Strait of Magellan in the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile. It belongs to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago...
, past Santa Inés Island and entered Canal Santa Barbara (54° S), which connects to the strait. From 22 March to 22 July he stayed in a harbor he called "Nuestra Señora de los Remedios" (which Ladrillero locates at around latitude 53° 30’ S; probably the harbor now named Sea Shell).
He probably entered the strait near the end of July; by 9 August he had reached Cape Virgenes
Cape Virgenes
Capes in the AmericasCape Virgenes is the southeastern tip of continental Argentina. Ferdinand Magellan reached it on 21 October 1520 and discovered a strait, now called the Strait of Magellan...
. He ventured up several canals, only to find them deadend. Landing at Punta de San Gregorio, he took formal possession of the region for Spain. Only one of his names from this voyage survives today: Bahia Posesión. He spent less than a day in the South Atlantic before turning back, probably not reaching the western entrance before early March 1559. After a stormy passage, he made Valdivia
Valdivia
-Geography:*Chile** Valdivia, Chile, a city and municipality in the Province of Valdivia** Valdivia River, a river which begins in the city of Valdivia** Valdivia Province, the Province of Valdivia...
.