- Ulrich Schmídel
Ulrich Schmidl or Schmidel (1510 in
Straubing - † 1579 inRegensburg ) was a GermanLandsknecht ,conquistador , explorer, chronicler and councilman. Schmidl was, besideHans Staden , one of the few the Landsknechts, who wrote his experiences down.Schmidl took part
1534 as a Landsknecht underPedro de Mendoza in an expedition to today'sArgentina (Río de la Plata ), lived and fought there for nearly 20 years and became a founder ofBuenos Aires . He wrote a book about his experiences in the Río de la Plata region, becoming the first historian of Argentina. His journey led him across theRío Paraná andRío Paraguay and into today'sParaguay , where he helped to foundAsunción . From there he undertook several expeditions in theGran Chaco , which led him into southeastBolivia .In
1554 he returned with a few pieces of booty toStraubing , were he had inherited the fortune of his deceased brother and became a councilman. Because of religious strife he had to leave Straubing and went in1562 toRegensburg , where he died in1579 .Source
* Ulrich Schmídel, [http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/FichaObra.html?portal=0&Ref=4911 Viaje al Río de la Plata, Alicante : Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes, 2001. Edición digital basada en la de Buenos Aires, Cabaut y Cía., 1903.]
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