I live across the road from the Coronado Historic Site, it’s on the Colorado River near Bernalillo and I can see it from my front door.  The more I read about the history of the place the more I’m fascinated.

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado turned up in these parts in 1540, a Spanish conquistador looking for gold.  This led to the first hostilities between Europeans and native Americans, called the Tiguex War.

After much loss of life on both sides, Coronado left to pursue his cities of gold on a rumor from a native American he had enslaved.  This slave was called the Turk and he promised he would lead Coronado to the cities of gold.  The Turk was just sending the Spanish on a wild goose chase. There was no gold.  He led Coronado’s group into the Midwest,  into what is Nebraska today.

Patience with the Turk eventually ran out and he was tortured and killed by Coronado, but it ended Coronado’s campaign.  Coronado would eventually fall from his horse, return to Mexico City and die of an infectious disease in his mid-40s.  The Spanish would not return for 39 years.  Today the Turk is remembered as a hero of the pueblo people.