Nikolaus Federmann (in Spanish Nicolás de Federmán) (1505 - 1542), explorer and German chronicler who took part in the Spanish conquest of the territories of current the Venezuela and Colombia.

Born with Ulm (Bade-Wurtemberg), it was sent to Saint-Domingue in 1529 by the family Welser of Augsburg, which had signed an agreement to explore the territory of Venezuela. Federmann undertook exploration in 1530, followed the course of the river Orinoco in collaboration with Ambrosius Ehinger and returned to Augsburg, where he wrote an account entitled Indian Histoire (published in 1557), in which he exaggerated the richnesses of the place.

On its return to Venezuela, it is named governor, function which it keeps until his replacement by Jorge de Spira in 1534. Financed again by Welser, he undertakes a forwarding (1535 - 1539) during which he crosses the plains of Colombia and Venezuela to the research of the Eldorado. However, the zone to which he arrives already had been conquered in 1537 by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. During its voyage it meets other Spanish forces, directed by Sebastián de Belalcázar, with which it disputes the territory chibcha.

Federmann and its army arrive at Bogota in March 1539. After having taken part in the legal foundation of the city the same year, the three Conquistador S decide to leave their men commes colonists there and travel to Spain to solve their disagreements. The king names Quesada marshal of the Kingdom of News-Grenade, and makes of Belalcázar the governor of Popayan. Federmann knows a lawsuit with Welser and dies in prison with Valladolid in 1542.

List of the explorers