Los Sobrevivientes de La Florida


investigation made in Lima, on the conduct of Francisco Pizarro
and several of his officers, regarding the managing of the royal
treasury.86 Soon after he must have departed for Spain, for he
appears again. Moscoso was one of the highest ranking individuals
under de Soto, and was for some time, Maestre de Campo or
commanding officer, in charge of the administrative affairs of the
army. After de Soto's death, Moscoso was elected governor and
then directed the expedition out of Florida to Panuco. From this
port Moscoso continued to Mexico City where, on October 17,
1543, he wrote to the King, asking him the award of the
encomienda of the Indians of Xochimilco.87 Later, in 1547, he
claimed in the same city, that he was a native of Zafra, Spain, the
he had known Hemando de Soto since 1525, and that he was
forty-two years of age.88 In Mexico, Moscoso was accused of
living illegally with his cousin Leonor de Alvarado, who had given
him a son. Moscoso figures prominently in the writings of Rangel,
Garcilaso de la Vega, Hernandez de Biedma, and Elvas, because of
his rank and activities.89 He was a son of the Comendador Alonso
Hemandez de Diosdado and Dofia Isabel de Alvarado, both from
Zafra, SR-329. Hemandez de Biedma lists him as a survivor,
Smith-294. Two of Moscoso's brothers also outlived the Florida
experience; they were Juan de Alvarado and Cristobal de
Mosquera, included here in their proper places.

 Mosquera, Cristobal de. Brother of Luis de Moscoso, native
of Zafra, survivor of the Florida expedition, Smith-294. Son of
Alonso Hernandez de Diosdado and Isabel de Alvarado, citizens of
Zafra, SR-329.

 Mufioz, Juan. Citizen of Villada in Tierra de Medina de
Ruiseco, a locality in Castilla, and a resident of Mexico City in
1547, at which point he was 27 years old. There he declared
having known Hernando de Soto in 1538, whom he accompanied
to Florida. That had the Adelantado survived, he would have
established permanent communities in Florida, for it had excellent
lands to cultivate wheat and vineyards and to raise cattle. He
signed his deposition.90 This Mufioz is probably the son of Martin
Mufioz and Maria Garcia, citizens of Villacidaler, SR-316, a place


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