Discoverers Web: Alphabetical List: C

C

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (Spain, 1490?-1556): 1527-9: Joins the expedition of Pánfilo de Narváez to Florida. Shipwrecks on the coast of Texas and lives as a semi-prisoner among the local Indians.; 1535-6: With three other survivors of the Narváez expedition, Alonso Castillo Maldonado, Andres Dorantes and Estéban (Maldonado's Moorish slave), travels through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Sonora back to Mexico.; 1540: Named governor of Paraguay. Travels from the coast of Brazil to Asunción overland.; 1542: Leads an expedition up the Paraguay River. Arrested on charges of usurpating royal authority on return to Asunción.; Cabeza de Vaca, Álvar Núñez; People in the West - Cabeza de Vaca; The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca (translation of De Vaca's own story); The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca (different site); Windows to the Unknown (various articles); Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca; The Journey of Cabeza de Vaca; The Estevanico Society
Giovanni Caboto (better known as John Cabot, Venice (born in Genova), ca.1450-1499?): 1497: In English service crosses the Atlantic, and discovers North America, probably at or near Newfoundland.; 1498: Makes a second voyage to North America, of which little is known. According to some sources explores the American coast from Baffin Island to Chesapeake Bay, according to others is lost without a trace.; John Cabot; John Cabot's 1497 Voyage & the Limits of Historiography - where was Cabot's first landfall?; Matthew Site Home Page; Patent Granted by King Henry VII to John Cabot and his Sons; The John Day Letter; The Pasqualigo Letter; The Soncino Letters
Sebastian Cabot (born as Sebastiano Caboto, Venice, 1476?-1557): 1497: Likely to have joined his father John Cabot on his first voyage.; 1508-9: Explores the coast of North America, looking for the northwest passage. Might have discovered or even sailed Hudson Strait.; 1526-9: In Spanish service, makes an attempt to sail around South America. Sails up the Rio de La Plata and the Paraná and Paraguay, looking for silver.; 1553: Governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers (later known as Muscovy Company), which sends out expeditions to find the northeast passage and starts trade with Russia.; Sebastian Cabot; John and Sebastian Cabot; John & Sebastian Cabot
Gonçalo Velho Cabral (Portugal, dates unknown): 1429?: Sails west from Portugal and discovers the Formigas rocks, shortly east from the Azores.; 1430?: Discovers Santa Maria, the first of the Azores.
Pedro Álvares Cabral (Portugal, 1467?-1520?): 1500-1501: Commander of the second Portuguese expedition to India. While crossing the Atlantic, discovers Brazil. Visits Calicut and trades in Cochin and Cannanore.; The Portuguese Empire
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (also known as João Rodrigues Cabrilho, Portugal or Spain, 1498?-1543): 1542-3: Leads an expedition northward along the Pacific coast from Mexico. Discovers San Diego Bay and reaches Russian River, but dies from the complications of a broken leg after an Indian attack.
Alvise da Cadamosto (Venice, 1432-1488): 1455-1456: In Portuguese service, travels along the African coast south to the Gambia to trade.; 1460: Travels again to the Gambia to trade, and explores a few smaller rivers further south. While travelling to the Gambia is swept into open sea, and might have discovered the Cape Verdian Islands.; Cadamosto did not make any important discoveries, except perhaps the Cape Verdian Islands, but is known because he wrote an account of his travels, which is the main source about the Portuguese trade in West Africa in the mid-fifteenth century.; The coast of Africa
Atoine Laumet de Lamothe Cadillac (France, 1658-1730): 1700: Founds the city of Detroit.
Gaius Julius Caesar (Rome, 100-44 BC): 61-47: Leads military operations in Gaul, Spain, Britain and Armenia.; The Roman period
Umberto Cagni (Italy): 1899-1900: Second-in-command of Abruzzi's expedition to the North Pole. Led the group that actually made an attempt for the pole, and reached 86°34', a new farthest north.
René-Auguste Caillié (France, 1799-1838): 1827-8: Travels from Sierra Leone to Tombouctou. After visiting the city returns to Morocco. First European to visit Tombouctou and return alive.
Pedro Calderón (Spain, 1498?-?): 1539: Captain of De Soto's base camp while the latter sets out for the interior.
Verney Lovett Cameron (England, 1844-1894): 1872-5: Leads an expedition to search for Livingstone. After hearing of Livingstone's death, decides to push on. Explores Lake Tanganyika, reaches the Lualaba (upper Congo) at Nyangwe, and crosses the Congo bassin to Angola.
Diogo Cão (also known as Diego Cam, Portugal, 1450-?): 1482-3: Follows the African west coast south until Cape St.Mary, Angola. Makes contact with the Bakongo kingdom on the Congo.; 1485-6: Makes a second voyage to southwest Africa. Sails up the Congo, and reaches Cape Cross, Namibia. It is not known whether or not he returned from this voyage.; The coast of Africa
Garcia López de Cárdenas (Spain, dates unknown): 1540: Sent out by Coronado to search for a river rumored to be further west. Discovers the Grand Canyon.
José Cardero (Spain): 1792: Artist on the expedition of Valdes and Galiano to British Columbia; Valdes and Galiano; some drawings made by Cardero
Elling Carlsen (Norway): 1871: Finds the remains of the 'Behouden Huys', Barentsz' wintering place on Nova Zembla.; A voyage through time. The story of Barentsz' wintering hut
Giovanni de Plano Carpini (Italy, 1180?-1252?): 1245-7: Travels to the court of Güyük Khan in an attempt to convince him not to attack Europe.; Exploration in the Medieval Period
Jan Carstensz (Netherlands, dates unknown): 1623: Explores the coast of Queensland. Is blown across the Gulf of Carpentaria, and discovers Arnhem Land and the Liverpool River.
Philip Carteret (England, 1733-1796): 1766-8: Commander of the second ship of the expedition of Wallis to the Pacific. Separated from him near Cape Horn. Discovers Pitcairn Island and one of the Solomon Islands, and rediscovers Santa Cruz. Explores the islands to the north of New Guinea.
Jacques Cartier (France, 1491-1557): 1534: Looking for the Northwest Passage, discovers the Strait of Belle Isle and explores the Gulf of St. Lawrence.; 1535-6: Navigates up the St. Lawrence until Montreal, and winters in Canada.; 1541-3: Returns to Canada, looking for the mythical kingdom of Saguenay.; Les voyages de Jacques Cartier; The Virtual Museum of New-France: Jacques Cartier
Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva (Spain, 1540?-1590): Traces a route between Pánuco and the Mazapil mines and punishes hostile indians near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
Gaspar Castaño de Sosa (Portugal, dates unknown): 1590: Leads an attempt to colonize New Mexico.
Thomas Cavendish (England, 1560-1592): 1586-8: Circumnavigates, raiding Spanish settlements in South America and pillaging various Spanish ships.; 1591-2: Attempts to once more circumnavigate, but dies at sea in the South Atlantic.; Thomas Cavendish; Cavendish, Thomas (in German)
Charles Chaillé-Long (USA, 1842-1917): 1874: In Egyptian service, visits the king of Buganda (Uganda) for negotiations. Follows the Nile downstream from Lake Victoria to the Koruma Falls and discovers Lake Kyoga.; 1875: Travels in the region around the Nile-Congo watershed.
Samuel de Champlain (France, 1567?-1635): 1603: Travels to Canada. Travels up the St. Lawrence to Montreal and establishes a friendship with the Algonquins.; 1604-7: Maps the American coast from Nova Scotia to Cape Cod. Founds Cape Royal (Nova Scotia) as a fur trading post.; 1608-9: Founds Québec. Joins the Algonquins and Hurons in a fight against the Iroquois and discovers Lake Champlain.; 1611: Founds Montréal.; 1613: Travels up the Ottawa River until Allumette Island (near Pembroke).; 1615-6: Travels up the Ottawa and down the French River to Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. With Brulé and a group of Huron Indians, fights the Iroquois southeast of Lake Ontario.; Samuel de Champlain - Geographer and Builder of a Colony; Samuel Champlain (1567-1635); Samuel de Champlain; Voyages; The Foundation of Quebec, 1608; Samuel de Champlain's 1607 Map
Richard Chancellor (England, ?-1556): 1553-4: Second-in-command of the expedition of Hugh Willoughby looking for the Northeast Passage. Gets separated from Willoughby's ship in a storm near northern Norway. Travels on to the White Sea, and meets Russians at Kholmogory on the Dina River. Visits czar Ivan the Terrible in Moscow, and receives letters inviting British trade.; 1555-6: Undertakes another voyage to Moscow by the same route, but dies when his ship shipwrecks on the Scottish coast on the return voyage.
Chang Ch'ien (also known as Zhang Qian, China, ?-107 BC): 138-126: Travels west from China to try to convince the Yüeh-chi to form an alliance against the Hsiung-nu (Huns). Spends most of this time as a prisoner of the Huns. Reaches the Yüeh-chi, but fails to convince them.; 119-115: Makes a second voyage to Central Asia, reaching Fergana. Lays the foundations of Chinese trade with Central Asia, and thus of the Silk Road.; The Roman period
Jean-Baptiste-Étienne-Auguste Charcot (France, 1867-1936): 1903-5: Explorers the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula. Charts the Palmer Archipelago, discovers Loubet Coast and explores Adelaide Island.; 1908-9: Charts the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula southward to Alexander I Island, discovers Fallières Coast and Charcot Island.; The gentleman among the polar explorers
Semyon Chelyuskin (Russia): 1735-7: With Pronchishchev, sails east from the Lena, and makes several failed attempt to round Taimyr Peninsula.
Cheng Ho (also known as Zheng He, China, 1371-1433): 1405-33: Makes seven large expedition to various countries, mostly around the Indian Ocean. Reaches Mecca and East Africa.; The Admiral of the Western Seas; The Emperor's Giraffe; Should the Ming End the Treasure Ship Voyages?; The Voyages of Cheng Ho; Cheng Ho and Suzhou - History Comes Full Circle; The Great Chinese Mariner Zheng He
Aleksei Chirikov (Russia, 1703-1748): 1725-30: Second-in-command of Bering's first expedition.; 1733-41: Second-in-command of Bering's second expedition. Crosses Bering Sea, landing at Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Discovers Kenai Peninsula and various Aleutian Islands.; Vitus Bering
Hugh Clapperton (Scotland, 1788-1827): 1820-5: With Oudney and Denham crosses the Sahara, discovers Lake Chad and visits Bornu and Sokoto (in Nigeria).; 1826-7: Travels from the Gulf of Guinea to Sokoto, but dies of disease and weakness.
William Clark (USA, 1770-1838): 1804-6: With Meriwether Lewis, travels up the Missouri, crosses the Rocky Mountains and descends the Snake and Columbia to the Pacific. On the return voyage explores the Jefferson and Yellowstone Rivers.; For links, see Meriwether Lewis
John Clarke (England): 1814: Sent out to establish a trading outpost of the Hudson Bay's Company in Chipeweyan country. Tries to find a new trail, along the Lesser Slave River.
Ruy González de Clavijo (Castilia, ?-1412): 1403-?: Travels to Samarkand to try to get an alliance with Tamerlane against the Turks.
Charles Clerke (England, 1741-1779): 1779: Takes over the command of Cook's expedition after the latter's death. Charts Hawaii, visits Petropavlovsk and sails through Bering Strait, but dies of tuberculosis.
Jan Pieterszoon Coen (Netherlands, 1587-1629): 1618-23, 1627-9: Holds the office of governor-general, the highest function of the VOC within the East Indies.; 1619: Moves the headquarters of the Dutch in the East Indies from Bantam to Batavia (Jakarta).
Colaeus (Greece): ca. 630 BC: Blown out of course on the way to Egypt, discovers the Straits of Gibraltar and trades profitably in Tartessos; Greek Explorers
John Colter (USA, 1775?-1813): 1804-6: Joins the Lewis & Clark expedition.; 1806-7: Guides fur trappers Joseph Dickson and Forrest Hancock to the Yellowstone River area.; 1807: Aids Manuel Lisa iin setting up a fur trading post, Fort Raymond, at the confluence of Bighorn and Yellowstone.; 1807-8: Makes a solo voyage through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, exploring the area and trying to convince the Indians to bring furs to Fort Raymond.; The Life and Times of John Colter; John Colter
Christophorus Columbus (also known as Christopher Columbus and Cristóbal Colón, Genova, 1451?-1506): 1492-3: Crosses the Atlantic to the Bahamas, discovers Cuba and Hispaniola, and founds a colony on Hispaniola.; 1493-6: Discovers several of the Lesser Antilles and founds a new colony on Hispaniola, finding the old one destroyed. Explores the Cuban south coast until Cape Cruz and discovers Jamaica.; 1498: Discovers Trinidad and Venezuela. In 1500 is arrested for mis-managing his colony and taken to Spain.; 1502-4: Looking for a strait to the Indian Ocean, explores the coast of Mesoamerica from Honduras to Panama. Is shipwrecked on Jamaica.
Charles-Marie de la Condamine: Has been alphabetized under the L
Nicollò de Conti (Venice, 1395?-1469): 1414-44: From Syria travels through Baghdad to Hormuz. Visits India, being the first European to enter the Indian interior, Ceylon, the Andaman Islands, Burma, Bengal, Sumatra, Java and possibly China. Via Ciampa (Thailand), Ceylon, India, Arabia, Egypt and the Sinai returns to Italy.; The Portuguese Empire
Frederick Albert Cook (USA, 1865-1940): 1891-2: Participant in an expedition to Greenland led by Peary.; 1893-4: Leads two expeditions to Greenland.; 1897-9: Participant of the De Gerlache expedition to Antarctica.; 1901: Joins a relief expedition for Peary.; 1903: Climbs the Mount McKinley to a higher point than any person before him, and is the first to circumnavigate the mountain.; 1906: Claims to have reached the summit of Mount McKinley, but his claim is now generally believed to be false.; 1907-9: Leads a major expedition to Ellesmere Island and the surrounding area. Claims to have been the first to reach the North Pole (April 1908), but this claim is later disbelieved.; About Dr. Frederick A. Cook; Dr. Frederick A. Cook - An American Explorer; The Cook-Peary North Pole dispute; Frederick A. Cook Society
James Cook (England, 1728-1779): 1766: Makes navigational maps of the area around Newfoundland, and uses a solar eclipse to determine Newfoundland's longitude.; 1768-71: Travels to Tahiti to observe a transit of Venus, maps the complete coast of New Zealand, discovers and follows the east coast of Australia and is the first in 160 years to sail through Strait Torres.; 1772-5: Circumnavigates at high southern latitudes, finally disproving the existence of Terra Australis. Is the first to cross the south polar circle, and reaches 71°10' south. Discovers South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and some Pacific islands.; 1776-80: Explores various islands, and discovers Christmas Island and Hawaii. Explores the North American west coast, looking for the northwest passage and sails through Bering Strait. Is killed on Hawaii in a fight with the natives.
Simon de Cordes (Netherlands): 1598: Second-in-command, and after Mahu's death leader, of a Dutch attempt to reach the Indies through the Straits of Magelhaes.
Hernández de Córdoba (also known as Hernandes de Cordova, Spain, ?-1517): 1517: Discovers Yucatán and the Mayan civilization.
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (Spain, 1510?-1554): 1540-2: Travels northward from Mexico to Cibola, believed to be a rich city in what is now New Mexico. Arriving there, he finds it is only a poor pueblo. Encamps his men in villages on the Rio Grande. He hears of riches in Quivira (in present-day Arkansas) and marches there, but again finds only poor Indian encampments.
Gaspar Corte-Real (Portugal, 1450?-1501): 1500: Sails to Greenland.; 1501: Travels to Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland, but disappears.; Gaspar Corte Real (in French); Portugal: Sea Exploration and Early Discoveries
João-Vaz Corte-Real (Portugal, ?-1496): Believed by some to have discovered Newfoundland in 1472, possibly together with Pining and Ponthorst. Father of Gaspar and Miguel Corte-Real.; Portuguese Discoveries in North America
Hernán Cortés (also known as Hernando Cortez, Spain, 1484-1547): 1518-21: Travels to Mexico, founds Veracruz and conquers the Aztec empire.; 1522: Named governor of New Spain (Mexico); 1524: Crosses the Yucatán Peninsula to Honduras to arrest Cristóbal de Olid who had been sent out to conquer the area, but was rebelling against Cortés, but when he arrives Olid has already died.; 1532: Sends out an expedition from the Pacific coast of Mexico which discovers the Tres Marías islands.; 1535-6: Discovers Baja California and makes a failed attempt to establish a colony.; 1539: Sends out Ulloa to explore the Pacific coast of Mexico northward.; Hernando Cortes (1485-1547) ( in German); The Conquest of the Aztec Empire; Die Eroberung Mexikos (in German); Affirmative Action and Hernan Cortes; Hernan Cortes (in French); The Conquest of Mexico; Texas Explorers - Cortez; Burried Mirror - Conflict of the Gods; End of an Empire; The Genealogy of Mexico; An Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
Cosmas Indicopleustes (Greece): early 6th century: Trades from Egypt with Ethiopia, Persia, India and Ceylon.; later (ca. 540): Becomes a monk, and writes his Christian topography, in which he argues for a flat world.; The Roman period
Pêro de Covilhão (also known as Pedro de Covilham, Portugal, dates unknown): 1487: Sent out to gather information on the area around the Indian Ocean. Pretending to be an Arab trader, travels from Alexandria to Aden, India, the Persian Gulf, Arabia and East Africa and visits Mecca and Medina.; 1492: Back in Alexandria he is sent to Abessynia (Ethiopia). He remains there for the rest of his life, which is at least until 1524.; The Portuguese Empire
Allan Cunningham (England, 1791-1839): 1823: Discovers the Pandora-pass, providing a route from Bathurst to the Liverpool plains; 1827: Discovers Darling Downs, a rich farming country; 1828: Discovers Cunningham's Gap, providing a route from Brisbane to Darling Downs. Charts the Bremer River.; Pacific Explorers Library: Allan Cunningham; Allan Cunningham
Peter Custis (USA, 1781-1842): 1806: Naturalist of the Red River Expedition, which travelled up the Red River but was stopped by the Spanish.; Red River expedition