Spanish 1500 - 1599       1540        1546 Document from Spanish conquest era                                                                           During the sixteenth century the Spanish began their mapping and exploration of the land we now call Texas. It was not until the early seventeenth century that the Spanish began to colonize and establish missions in Texas. Early Spanish explorers include: 1519 Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda 1527 Pánfilo de Narváez 1528 Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca 1541–1543 Francisco Vázquez de Coronado 1582-83 Antonio de Espejo 1590 Gaspar Castaño de Sosa Historical Survey, Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century Spanish Explorations from A Shared Experience Narváez, Pánfilo de in The Handbook of Texas Palo Duro Canyon State Park New Perspectives on the West a PBS Multimedia tour Coronado Expedition in The Handbook of Texas Espejo, Antonio de in The Handbook of Texas Castaño de Sosa, Gaspar in the Handbook of Texas