Pedro Fernández de Quirós
Portuguese-born Spanish navigator Pedro Fernández de Quirós (1565–1614) was the pilot on Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira's second voyage to the South Seas.
He took command of the Mendaña expedition after the leader's death (October 1595). He brought the expedition's remaining ship to the Philippines (February 1596).
He subsequently led a journey in search of Terra Australis, which left Peru in December 1605.
Quirós and his flagship separated from the expedition's other vessels on 11 June 1606; Luis Vaez de Torresthen took the two ships to Manila via New Guinea's south coast, passing through what became known as Torres Strait.
Quirós and the San Pedro y San Pablo arrived at Acapulco in November 1606.
After he returned to Madrid in 1607, Quirós spent the next seven years attempting to raise funds for a further voyage. He may not have been successful in the attempt, but he died in Panama en route to Peru in 1614.
