Find out more about the greatest 16th Century Explorers, including Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, Amerigo Vespucci, Juan Ponce de León and Samuel de Champlain

16th Century Explorers

Find out more about the greatest 16th Century Explorers, including Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, Amerigo Vespucci, Juan Ponce de León and Samuel de Champlain.
Francis DrakeFrancis Drake
1540 AD, British
Navigator
Amerigo VespucciAmerigo Vespucci
09 March 1454, Italian
Discoverer of South America

Walter RaleighWalter Raleigh
22 January 1554, British
Politician, Writer, Explorer, Aristocrat

Juan Ponce de LeónJuan Ponce de León
1474 AD, Spanish
Explorer

Samuel de ChamplainSamuel de Champlain
13 August 1574, French
Explorer

Hernando de SotoHernando de Soto
1500 AD, Spanish
Explorer
BalboaVasco Núñez de Balboa
1475 AD, Spanish
Spanish Explorer

Pedro de AlvaradoPedro de Alvarado
1485 AD, Spanish
Explorers

Francisco Vásquez de CoronadoFrancisco Vásquez de Coronado
1510 AD, Spanish
Explorers

William AdamsWilliam Adams
24 September 1564, British
First ever Western Samurai
Alvar N. C. de VacaAlvar N. C. de Vaca
1490 AD, Spanish
Explorer

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de VacaÁlvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
1490 AD, Spanish
explorer, writer
Diego ColumbusDiego Columbus
01 April 1479, Spanish, Portuguese
Navigator

Juan Rodríguez CabrilloJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo
13 March 1499, Portuguese
Navigator

Matteo RicciMatteo Ricci
06 October 1552, Italian
explorer, cartographer, writer, missionary,
Francisco Vázquez de CoronadoFrancisco Vázquez de Coronado
1510 AD, Spanish
Conquistador

Pedro Menéndez de AvilésPedro Menéndez de Avilés
15 February 1519, Spanish
Explorer
Martin FrobisherMartin Frobisher
British
 

Antonio PigafettaAntonio Pigafetta
Italian
 

Juan de OñateJuan de Oñate
 
Francisco de AlmeidaFrancisco de Almeida
1450 AD, Portuguese
Soldier

Lope de AguirreLope de Aguirre
08 November 1510, Spanish
Conquistador
Richard HakluytRichard Hakluyt
1553 AD, British
Writer

Willem JanszoonWillem Janszoon
1570 AD, Dutch
Navigator

Christopher NewportChristopher Newport
30 November 1561, British
explorer

Willem BarentszWillem Barentsz
1550 AD, Dutch
explorer, cartographer
Diego Velázquez de CuéllarDiego Velázquez de Cuéllar
1465 AD, Spanish
Conquistador
Pedro de ValdiviaPedro de Valdivia
17 April 1497, Spanish
Explorer, Military personnel

Duarte BarbosaDuarte Barbosa
Portuguese
 

Alonso de OjedaAlonso de Ojeda
1466 AD, Spanish
explorer, conquistador

Ruy López de VillalobosRuy López de Villalobos
1500 AD, Spanish
explorer
Gonzalo Jiménez de QuesadaGonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
1509 AD, Spanish
Conqueror

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Martin BehaimMartin Behaim
06 October 1459, German
Geographer and navigator

Thomas CavendishThomas Cavendish
19 September 1560, British
explorer

Jean RibaultJean Ribault
1520 AD, French
explorer

Gaspar Corte-RealGaspar Corte-Real
 
John DavisJohn Davis
30 September 1550, British
explorer

Will AdamsWill Adams
24 September 1564, British, American
 
Panfilo de NarváezPanfilo de Narváez
1478 AD, Spanish
Conquistador

Pedro Álvares CabralPedro Álvares Cabral
1467 AD, Portuguese
Nobleman