As soon as a legend appears about a place rich in gold and precious stones, there are immediately many who want to find this place and get their hands on the desired treasures. So it was with the Country of Seven Cities, or Sivola.
It is difficult to say now who and how heard and spread the legend about the existence of the Country of Seven Cities with its untold riches. But in 1530 the conquistador Nuno Guzman heard about her. Allegedly, one Indian told him about the existence of the country of Sivola with its seven huge cities, in which palaces of fabulous beauty were built and countless treasures are kept. However, it is not easy to reach this country. For forty days you have to move to it through the desert.
The numbers 7 and 40 at the end of the Middle Ages were considered magical, giving a guarantee of success. And Guzman began to recruit volunteers for a dangerous and long expedition, greatly embellishing the wealth of the legendary country.
Having recruited four hundred Spaniards and several thousand Indians, he moved his detachment to the north-west of the city of Culiacan founded by him. The route turned out to be too difficult, and the recruited Indians were poorly managed. And Guzman had to give up his idea.
It is possible that the legend of Seville would gradually cease to haunt the minds of treasure seekers. But four conquistadors, who had long been considered dead, turned up, and they told the story that they had a chance to visit cities with houses of several floors. And the inhabitants of these cities have many jewelry made of gold and precious stones.
Promotional video:
Before equipping the next expedition, a conquistador and a monk were sent for reconnaissance. After a few months, only the monk returned. Reporting that his companion had been killed by the Indians, the monk said that they had been able to see one large city. And it is located on a large hill in the middle of the plain.
To check the story of the monk, another small detachment was sent to find Sivola. When they returned, the conquistadors reported that due to the onset of winter, they could not get to Sivola, but the Indians who met along the way confirmed the existence of seven cities.
The commandant of Culiacana, Francisco Coronado, on behalf of the viceroy of the overseas colony, Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco, began to equip a large military expedition.
In the spring of 1540, a detachment of one thousand people moved north. The path was not easy. The detachment had to overcome rivers, steep hills, swamps, mountain passes and dense forests. Experiencing constant difficulties, inconveniences and hardships, the members of the expedition made their way to the legendary Sivola. And then a severe disappointment overtook them.
On the ledge of the rock were crowded squalid houses made of stones and clay. Capturing the village of Pueblo was not difficult - it was not large. The conquistadors did not find any wealth among the poor residents. Other "cities" of Sivola were even smaller and poorer.
Not realizing that he was a fiasco, Coronado sent troops of scouts in all directions, still hoping to find fabulous treasures.
The detachment under the command of Cardenes went west-northwest. And, having passed more than 400 kilometers, he reached the edge of the canyon going vertically downward. This canyon would later become known as the Grand Canyon of Colorado. The deepest in the world and has a length of 1800 meters.
The detachment, which went to the east, having overcome a low pass, reached the river flowing to the south. The commander of the detachment, Jaramillo, managed to guess that the river blocking the path does not flow into the South (Pacific) Ocean, but into the North (Atlantic). Later, the river will receive the name Rio Grande del Norte, which means the Great Northern River.
Almost simultaneously with the Rio Grande del Norte, the Colorado River estuary was discovered. To survey the east coast of the Gulf of California, Coronado sent three vessels. Captain Eran Alarcon commanded them. Colorado hoped that the conquistadors who conquered Sivola would come to the ships, bringing provisions with them, but they miscalculated. No one came.
One of the Indians told Coronado that in the east there is a valley of a large river, where the country of Kiwira is located, whose inhabitants eat from gold and silver dishes, and their boats are decorated with eagles made of gold. Believing him, Colorado sent part of the detachment east. The conquistadors were unable to find any gold items or silver. Terrorizing the local population, they completely ruined relations with the Indians, for which they were not attacked.
In the spring of 1541, the Colorado squad set off to the northeast. The places were fertile, but no gold could be found. The Country of Seven Cities turned out to be a myth that has no connection with reality. And the detachment returned to Culiacan.
Despite the complete economic collapse of the expedition, its geographical results are impressive. Huge areas were mapped. But the Spaniards were indifferent to them. They could not find the gold that attracted them so much.