Pedro Fernandes de Queirós

Pedro Fernandes de Queirós

Pedro Fernandes de Queirós was a Portuguese sailor who worked for Spain. He was born in Évora, Portugal in 1563. He loved the sea and became a very good navigator.

Queirós is best known for his sea trips across the Pacific Ocean. One of his famous trips was in 1595–1596. He sailed with another sailor named Álvaro de Mendaña y Neira. They traveled to the Solomon Islands and then to the Philippines.

In 1605–1606, Queirós led another big trip. He was looking for a huge land in the far south called Terra Australis. On this trip, he found many islands, including Henderson Island, Ducie Island, Rakahanga, and islands in Kiribati. He also reached islands now called Vanuatu. He thought he had found part of a big southern land and named one island Australia del Espíritu Santo.

Queirós returned to Madrid in 1607. He wrote many stories about his travels and asked the king for help with new discoveries, but he did not get new trips. He passed away during a journey in Panama in 1614. People remember him for his brave sea adventures and the islands he found.