El Dorado Dorado and the initiation rite of the new "zipa", which used to take place in Lake Guatavita. The Spanish captured large amounts of gold from the Muisca, which led them to spread the word that El Dorado was near. After his brother Gonzalo had left for Spain in May 1539, Spanish conquistador Hernán Pérez de Quesada set out a new expedition in September 1540, leaving with 270 Spanish soldiers and countless indigenous porters to explore the Llanos Orientales. One of his main captains on this journey was Baltasar Maldonado. Their expedition was unsuccessful and after reaching Quito, the troops returned
Raleigh's El Dorado Expedition to Guiana" after his return. De Berrío the same year also set out with a Spanish expedition of his own with 470 men under command of to search for El Dorado. As they advanced further inland however the Amerindians now allied to England then attacked and destroyed Vera and Berrio's entire force losing 350 men. The rest tried to retreat but soon after disease and famine reduced the survivors to only a handful of men. In 1617, Raleigh having been released from prison by order of King James I returned to continue his quest for El Dorado on a second