Home » European Explorers

European Explorers

Here is a list of all famous European explorers during Tudor times

Name of European Explorer

What was the achievement

Amerigo Vespucci Origin of the name of America is credited to this explorer
Bartolomeu Dias Led first European voyage around the Cape of Good Hope
Christopher Columbus Credited with discovering the New World
Ferdinand Magellan First around the World voyage by a European
Francisco Pizarro Was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that conquered the Inca Empire.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Led a large expedition from Mexico to present-day Kansas
Gaspar and Miguel Corte Real Participated in exploration sponsored by the Portuguese Crown. Said to have been first to reach Newfoundland and possibly other parts of northeastern Canada.
Giovanni da Verrazzano Italian explorer – NE coast of North America from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Maine
Henry Hudson Discovered Hudson River
Hernando Cortes Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec empire
Hernando De Soto Spanish explorer and conquistador – expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula, and played an important role in Pizarro’s conquest of the Inca Empire. First Spanish and European expedition of the modern-day USA (through Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and most likely Arkansas). First European documented as having crossed the Mississippi River.
Jacques Cartier Led three expeditions of exploration to Canada
Jacques Marquette Discovered the Mississippi River with Louis Joliet
John Cabot Italian explorer. 1497 discovered coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England. Earliest known European exploration of coastal North America
Juan Ponce de Leon First European to land in Florida
Marco Polo Italian merchant, explorer, and writer. Explored china and other Asian countries
Pedro Alvares Cabral Portuguese nobleman, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the European discoverer of Brazil in 1500
Samuel de Champlain The Founder of Quebec City & “The Father of New France”
Sebastian Cabot Son of John Cabot. Conducted his voyages of discovery, seeking the Northwest Passage through North America for England.
Sir Francis Drake Circumnavigated the World
Sir Humphrey Gilbert Established St Johns, Newfoundland
Sir John Hawkins Expeditions to West Africa and South America
Sir Martin Frobisher Expeditions to Labrador and Greenland
Sir Richard Grenville Voyages to Virginia and Roanoke Island and the Azores
Sir Richard Hawkins Voyages to South America
Sir Walter Raleigh Discovered Guiana and established the Virginia colony of Roanoke Island in 1584
Vasco da Gama Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa First European explorer to see the Pacific Ocean from its eastern shore

See also:

Elizabethan Explorers

Famous British Explorers

Famous Italian Explorers

Famous European Explorers

Found info useful?