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Hernando de Soto (c.1496/1497[1]–May 21, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. Born in the Extremadura region of Spain, he participated, in his late teens, in the conquest of Central America at the side of Governor Pedrarias Dávila. He joined Francisco Pizarro in the early 1530's conquest of South America, and he became enormously wealthy from his share of the Incan booty.