The Journey of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (also translated as The Story of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca or The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca) is the account of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca’s experiences with the Narváez expedition. Cabeza de Vaca was born in 1490 in Jeréz de la Frontera, Spain. The scion of a noble family, he spent his young adulthood serving as a soldier. In 1527 he was appointed second in command of an expedition headed by Panfilo de Narváez, who was charged with claiming the territory from Florida to Mexico for Spain.