Which Spanish explorer first navigated the Amazon River in 1541-1542?

Francisco de Orellana was the Spanish explorer who first navigated the length of the Amazon River in 1541–1542. He began as a lieutenant in Gonzalo Pizarro’s expedition from Quito, which was searching for the fabled Land of Cinnamon and possible riches in the South American interior.

When the expedition began starving, Pizarro sent Orellana downstream with a small group to find food and return. Strong currents, distance, and the construction of a larger boat made returning practically impossible. Orellana’s party therefore continued down the Napo River, reached the Amazon, and followed it eastward to the Atlantic Ocean.

The expedition reached the mouth of the Amazon on August 24, 1542. Dominican friar Gaspar de Carvajal travelled with the group and recorded the journey, providing one of the earliest European accounts of the river and its Indigenous societies.

Orellana’s reports also helped popularize the river’s name. He described encountering Indigenous fighters that included women, prompting a comparison with the Amazons of Greek mythology. Portuguese explorer Pedro Teixeira later became the first European known to travel up the river’s full length.