Antonio de Berrío (1527–1597) was a Spanish soldier, governor and explorer in Colonial America.
Biography
Antonio de Berrío was born in
Segovia
Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...
. He began his military career at the age of 14 in the service of the king
Carlos I. The young nobleman began his military life in Flanders. He entered combat for the first time in the
Battle of Marciano that ended with the capture of
Siena
Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
. Later he was destined to the fight in the African coasts against the
Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
s. The next destination was the fight against the
Rebellion of the Alpujarras against the rebellious
Morisco
''Moriscos'' (, ; ; "Moorish") were former Muslims and their descendants whom the Catholic Church and Habsburg Spain commanded to forcibly convert to Christianity or face compulsory exile after Spain outlawed Islam. Spain had a sizeable Mus ...
s. After the conflict in the mountains of
Granada
Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...
, was already appointed as captain of a cavalry company to the surveillance of the coasts of Granada, to finally be appointed governor of the Alpujarras.
Already as governor Berrío marries
María de Oruña, maternal niece of ''
adelantado
''Adelantado'' (, , ; meaning 'advanced') was a title held by some Spain, Spanish nobles in service of their respective kings during the Middle Ages. It was later used as a military title held by some Spanish ''conquistadores'' of the 15th, 16th a ...
'' and lawyer
Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada y Rivera, also spelled as Ximénez and De Quezada, (; 1509 – 16 February 1579) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador in northern South America, territories currently known as Colombia. He explored the territory n ...
. The latter, who died in 1579, in his will appoints Berrio and his wife as successors and heirs of their titles and assets. They receive the news by the
Correo de las Indias in 1580, Berrío is 53 years old and his life, which seemed to take a calmer course, returns to action.
Upon his arrival in America, and as
governor of Trinidad in 1580–1597, title inherited from his political uncle, the ''adelantado Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada'', founder of
Bogotá
Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...
and one of the main characters among the conquistadores of
New Granada, will continue with the work begun by him
Antonio de Berrio organized several expeditions to
Guiana Plateau in his search for the mythical El Dorado.
Between 1583 and 1589 he carried out his first two expeditions, penetrating the hostile and wild regions of the Colombian plains and the Upper Orinoco.
First expedition
The expedition first took place on January 1, 1584. It counted 80 conquistadores and its route crossed
Meta River
The Meta River is a major left tributary of the Orinoco River in eastern Colombia and southern Venezuela, South America. The Meta originates in the Cordillera Oriental (Colombia), Eastern Ranges of the Andes and flows through the Meta Department ...
and
Tomo River to reach the
Orinoco River
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...
and the foothills of the
Guiana Shield
The Guiana Shield (; ; ; ) is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a 1.7 billion-year-old Precambrian geological formation in northeast South America that forms a portion of the northern coast. The higher elevations on ...
. There he was stopped by
rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* '' ...
, however, he learned about the existence of the city-state ''Manõa'', a legendary city of gold also known as
El Dorado
El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...
. After examining the west coast, he returned to
Bogota in 1585. After this expedition, he moved to the estuary of the Orinoco River, where he founded the city of Sao Thome de Guyana, and
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...
's city
San José de Oruña.
Second expedition
In 1587 he went on a second expedition, lasting over two years. During this time, he investigated the western cliffs of the Guiana Plateau.
Third expedition
In 1590 he began his third expedition, managing to sail the Orinoco downstream until reaching the Caroní, that is when Berrío believed he had found the step he was looking for on his way to El Dorado, but in order to continue with the expedition he needed men and food, therefore part towards the
Margarita Island
Margarita Island (, ) is the largest island in the States of Venezuela, Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, situated off the north west coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea. The capital city of Nueva Esparta, La Asunción, is located on the ...
in March 1591, before building the
Santo Tomé de Guayana fortress, founding site of the current
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana () (English: Guayana City) is a city in Bolívar State (Venezuela), Bolívar State, Venezuela. It stretches 40 kilometers along the south bank of the Orinoco, Orinoco river, at the point where it is joined by its main tributary ...
, two exact leagues from the right bank of the
Caroní River
The Caroní River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, from the Kukenan tepui through to its confluence with the Orinoco River. The name "Caroní" is applied starting from the confluenc ...
and take possession of the latter in the name of the king
Philip II. Upon his arrival in Margarita, passing through
Trinidad Island, which he considered a future good base for the following explorations, he was informed of the death of his wife. In 1595 Berrío is 68 years old, has spent his formidable heritage on expeditions, neither the governor of
Margarita Province nor that of
Caracas
Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...
wanted to help him with new adventures, so he resorts to the crown. Berrio waits anxiously in Trinidad for the arrival of 300 men and the food and money requested to continue his search for El Dorado.
Fourth expedition. Prisoner of Walter Raleigh.

In April 1595 two ships arrive at the Margarita island, but they are not the requested reinforcements, they are two English ships under the command of
Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebell ...
, known by the Spaniards as ''Guaterral''. Spain and England were not at war, but relations were tense. Raleigh also suffered El Dorado fever, even studying Spanish to be able to personally read the chronicles that were published in America about America, he himself recognizes in 1596 that he had known for many years the search for El Dorado. Raleigh has a plan and executes it, presents himself with a delegation for friendly purposes, and at the first opportunity assaults the city of
San José de Oruña, founded by the lieutenant and commissioner of Berrio,
Domingo de Vera Ibargoyen. The square defended by 28 soldiers is taken, taking as hostages Berrio and his lieutenant, Alvaro Jorge, after which Raleigh burns the city. His next act will be to try to locate El Dorado going up the Orinoco, with Berrio as a guide. Berrio took them through the territories already explored by him years ago, El Dorado still did not appear. The expedition of Raleigh returns to Trinidad and the liberation of Antonio de Berrio took place at the end of June 1595 in the coasts of
Cumana, in a prisoners exchange deal.
Death and legacy
Antonio de Berrio died at age 70 in
Santo Tomé de Guayana, fortress founded by himself, in 1597, a few days after his son
Fernando de Berrío arrived with the reinforcements of troops, food and money he requested to continue with the search for the mythical El Dorado. El Dorado fever also severely affected his son, who would actively continue his search. As for Raleigh, he wrote a famous book of his days, entitled "Discovery of the great, rich and beautiful empire of Guayana" chronicle of his expedition with Berrio. Raleigh was only able to contribute the book, no gold, which earned him a death sentence by
James I, successor of the deceased
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
, but execution was put on hold for an indefinite prison in the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
. After twelve years of captivity, Raleigh regained his freedom, all this time did not serve to forget El Dorado, fever led him to make another expedition in his search that ended in failure and also broke the pact not to damage the Spanish possessions in the new world product of the new policy of alliance of England with Spain, which cost him his head at the hands of an executioner to satisfy the Spanish monarch
Philip III on October 29, 1618.
[ ''Atlas de los exploradores españoles'' GEOPLANETA 2009 ]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berrio, Antonio de
Spanish explorers
Spanish conquistadors
Spanish colonial governors and administrators
16th-century Spanish military personnel
1527 births
1597 deaths