Pedro Fernandes de Queirós was a Portuguese navigator and explorer who is best known for his exploration of the Pacific Ocean in the early 17th century. He is credited with being the first European to discover the Solomon Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. He is also credited with being the first European to discover the eastern coast of Australia, although his claim was not accepted until much later.
Queirós was born in 1565 in the Portuguese city of Viana do Castelo. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and was educated in the humanities and navigation. He joined the Portuguese navy in 1583 and served in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. In 1595, he was appointed as the captain of a ship in the Portuguese India Armada, and he sailed to India and the East Indies.
In 1605, Queirós was appointed as the commander of an expedition to find the Terra Australis Incognita, a mythical southern continent believed to exist in the Pacific Ocean. He set sail from Lisbon with five ships and a crew of 250 men. After a long and arduous journey, they arrived in the Solomon Islands in 1606. Queirós named the islands the “Islands of Solomon” and claimed them for Portugal.
The expedition then sailed westward and discovered the Marquesas Islands in 1607. Queirós named them the “Islands of the Marquesas” and claimed them for Portugal. The expedition then sailed southward and discovered the Tuamotu Archipelago in 1608. Queirós named them the “Islands of the Tuamotu” and claimed them for Portugal.
The expedition then sailed eastward and discovered the eastern coast of Australia in 1606. Queirós named the land “Australia del Espiritu Santo” and claimed it for Portugal. However, his claim was not accepted until much later.
Queirós returned to Lisbon in 1614 and was celebrated as a hero. He was appointed as the governor of the Portuguese colony in Brazil in 1615, but he died in 1616 before he could take up the post.
Queirós's legacy is one of exploration and discovery. He was the first European to discover the Solomon Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. He was also the first European to discover the eastern coast of Australia, although his claim was not accepted until much later. His explorations helped to open up the Pacific Ocean to European exploration and colonization. He is remembered as one of the great explorers of the Age of Discovery.