Explorers from Spain

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Spanish Explorers of all time. This list of famous Spanish Explorers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Spanish Explorers.

1. #1

   

   Hernán Cortés

   1485 - 1547

   HPI 85.59145 langs

   Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire in Mexico in the 16th century.

2. #2

   

   Francisco Pizarro

   1478 - 1541

   HPI 82.0587 langs

   Francisco Pizarro was most famous for being the conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire.

3. #3

   

   Juan Sebastián Elcano

   1476 - 1526

   HPI 77.9161 langs

   Juan Sebastián Elcano is most famous for being the first person to circumnavigate the world.

4. #4

   

   Vasco Núñez de Balboa

   1475 - 1519

   HPI 75.0258 langs

   Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer who discovered the Pacific Ocean.

5. #5

   

   Francisco de Orellana

   1511 - 1546

   HPI 73.9350 langs

   Francisco de Orellana is most famous for being the first European to explore the Amazon River.

6. #6

   

   Francisco Vázquez de Coronado

   1510 - 1554

   HPI 73.7241 langs

   Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer who was most famous for leading an expedition to the American Southwest in search of...Read moreShow less

   Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish explorer who was most famous for leading an expedition to the American Southwest in search of the Seven Cities of Gold.

7. #7

   

   Juan Ponce de León

   1460 - 1521

   HPI 73.6461 langs

   Juan Ponce de León is most famous for being the first European to reach Florida. He was also the first governor of Puerto Rico.

8. #8

   

   Diego de Almagro

   1475 - 1538

   HPI 72.5146 langs

   Diego de Almagro is most famous for being the first European to explore Chile and Peru. He was also a Spanish conquistador who participated...Read moreShow less

   Diego de Almagro is most famous for being the first European to explore Chile and Peru. He was also a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia.

9. #9

   

   Hernando de Soto

   1500 - 1542

   HPI 71.1367 langs

   Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who is most famous for exploring the Mississippi River.

10. #10

    

    Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar

    1465 - 1524

    HPI 70.3740 langs

    Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was most famous for his exploration of the Yucatán Peninsula.