 When Orellana went down the river in search of new territories, descending from the Andes in 1541, the river was still called Rio Grande, Mar Dulce or Rio de Canela ("Cinnamon"), because cinnamon trees were once thought to be located there.The story of the fierce ambush launched by the Icamiabas that nearly destroyed the Spanish expedition was narrated to the king, Charles I, who, inspired by the Greek legend of the Amazons, named the river the Amazon.In one of the most improbably successful voyages in known history, Orellana managed to sail the length of the Amazon, arriving at the river's mouth on 24 August 1542.