Stephen Clissold (1913–1982)

"The Seven Cities of Cibola" is a good introduction to early Spanish attempts to explore and colonize North America. Even though the influence of their colonization is still felt in the United States and Mexico it was through various expeditions, many of which failed on the whole, that Spain began to open up the New World and describe it to the rest of Europe. It is these explorations and the characters that they were made up of that is the main focus of the book and divides its chapters. The voyages of Columbus as well as myths, such as the fountain of youth, that spurred the Spanish forward are the starting points which set the stage for those who followed. These intrepid, fool hardy, and often brutal conquistadores include, Narvaez, Cabeza De Vaca, De Soto, and Coronado. Having a concise review of each of these together in the same book allows for some comparison of routes and results, but bear in mind that each deserve their own book. Of course if the subject matter interests you books with greater detail are available on each of the exploration parties.
There is deliberate focus on the myth of the seven cities of Cibloa and what impact the fruitless search for it had on the psyche of the Spanish colonial government. This ongoing story which told of cities in the interior of North America richer than what had already been found in the Aztec empire drove the penetration of the future United States. Although these cities proved to be imaginary, their lure created a clash of cultures, and the beginning of a written record of native people who until then had been unknown and were not contemplated by Europe and the rest of the world across the ocean.… (mer)