Francisco de Soto

Francisco de Soto (ca. 1500 – 1563) was a Spanish composer and organist. He worked in the Royal Court at Madrid. He was one of the Franciscan Twelve, a group of twelve Franciscan missionaries who arrived in the newly founded Viceroyalty of New Spain in May, 1524 for the purpose of the conversion of its indigenous population. He succeeded Fray Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan friar, as the Provincial of the province of the Holy Gospel, making de Soto the fourth provincial of the province of the Holy Gospel.

He was married to Leonor Arias Tenoco, and had two sons, one of which is Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. It is also unknown whether he was related to Pedro de Soto, who was also a composer and organist.