Hernando de Soto led an expedition through Florida, several states, and present-day Arkansas from 1539 to 1542. Though his journey covered a vast area over three years, he left no permanent settlements and his legacy was one of destruction, disease, and failure to find gold or a route to Asia. In 1673, French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet embarked on a voyage down the Mississippi River hoping to find gold or trade routes. Their journey inspired Robert de La Salle, who sought to secure the Mississippi Valley for France in the 1680s by claiming the land for King Louis XIV and gaining the allegiance of tribes like the Quapaw.