'Juan de Grijalva' (born around
1489 in
Cuéllar -
January 21 1527) was a
Spanish conquistador. Some authors said he was from the same family as
Diego Velázquez.
He went to
Hispaniola in
1508 and to
Cuba in
1511.
He was one of the earliest to explore the shores of
Mexico. He left
Cuba with four ships in April
1518. According to
Hernán Cortés, 170 people went with him, but according to
Pedro Mártir, there were 300 people.
The main pilot was
Antón de Alaminos, the other pilots were
Juan Ãlverez (also known as ''el Manquillo''),
Pedro Camacho de Triana, and Grijalva.
Other members included
Francisco de Montejo,
Pedro de Alvarado,
Juan DÃaz,
Francisco Peñalosa,
Alonso de Ãvila,
Alonso Hernández,
Julianillo,
Melchorejo,
Antonio Villafaña.
After rounding the Cape of Guaniguanico in Cuba, he sailed along the Mexican coast and arrived on
May 1 at the
Tabasco region in southern Mexico.
RÃo Grijalva (Mexico) was named after him.
Bernal DÃaz del Castillo wrote about the travels of Juan de Grijalva in his book.
He died in
Nicaragua in
1527.