Ãlvaro de Saavedra Cerón
Alvaro de Saavedra Cerón († 1529 north of New Guinea) was a Spanish navigator and explorer.
Saavedra was a relative of Hernan Cortez, the conqueror of Mexico. This he followed in 1526 by New Spain.
Saavedra was sent by Cortez in 1527 with three ships and 110 sailors of the Mexican west coast to the Spice Islands ( Moluccas today ) to get the Expedition of García Jofre de Loaisa to help. Meanwhile, hapless expedition had reached the Moluccas in 1528 and there had been embroiled in fights with the Portuguese.
Saavedra reached in February 1528 the area of the eastern Moluccas and in March finally Tidore, where the survivors of the expedition Loaisa had withdrawn. He had, however, go two of his ships, and many members of the crew lost, so that he could not help his compatriots military upon his arrival at Tidore. Therefore Saavedra put on 3 June sail again. He chose a direct eastern route through uncharted waters to reach as quickly as possible to get help from Mexico and Cortez.
On this trip Saavedra touched several islands in the north of New Guinea (where probably the Schouten Islands in the Geelvink Bay and the Admiralty Islands ) and went through the Carolinas. However, due to strong headwinds he had to stop this route. In May 1529 went again on the north coast of New Guinea along and came up to the Marshall Islands, near which he died. His ship returned to the Moluccas.