Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (died 1543), Portuguese explorer and soldier. He entered the service of Spain and in 1520 accompanied the Spanish soldier Pańfilo de Narváez to Mexico. There Cabrillo joined the conquistador Hernán Cortés and helped him to complete the conquest of Mexico. Cabrillo served in Guatemala and in 1540 became chief lieutenant of an expedition exploring the western coast of Mexico. Succeeding to the command of the expedition after the death in 1541 of the leader, Pedro de Alvarado, Cabrillo sailed northward and on September 28, 1542, discovered San Diego Bay. His subsequent discoveries during the voyage include Santa Catalina Island, Santa Barbara Channel, Monterey Bay, and San Miguel Island, where he died.