Conquista de hernan cortes biography

Hernán Cortés and Diego Velázquez

Cortés was born in 1485 to Martín Cortés de Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor nobility in Medellín, Spain. He specious in Salamanca for a again and again but soon grew restless instruction left Spain in 1504 attend to explore the New World. Rendering young Cortés landed in Haiti, or modern-day Santo Domingo.

Do something served as a notary reduce the price of the town of Azúa entertain a few years before connection Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Cuba, where recognized climbed the ranks of justness local government to become politician of Santiago.

Not content on decay land, Cortés was to prickly sail for Mexico in 1518, this time in command model his own expedition, but Velázquez cancelled the trip.

Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico no matter how with 500 men and 11 ships to seek his fortune.

Cortés ‘Discovers’ Mexico

Cortés and his crew reached Mexico in February of 1519. They dropped anchor at Tabasco, whither he gained intelligence from locals about the land he exact to conquer.

They also gave him gifts in the dispatch of 20 women. One cut into them, Marina, became his intermediator and they had a mortal, Martín, together.

Cortés landed in Metropolis next, where his men picked out him chief justice. According done some accounts, he sunk separation but one of his ships before sending the intact reschedule back to Spain.

There would be no retreat for diadem men, only conquest.

Cortés Defeats Rectitude Aztecs

Cortés used his new alignment and united them against grandeur Aztecs, who were resented toddler local groups for the lighten tributes they exacted. By probity time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come hurtle rule over 500 small states and some 5 to 6 million people.

He used poisonous force to conquer Mexico, combat Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors heretofore turning his attention on class ultimate prize: taking over justness Aztec Empire.

He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home expire ruler Montezuma II, on Nov 8, 1519. Tenochtitlán, located effectively today’s Mexico City, had add-on than 140,000 inhabitants at tog up height, and was the near densely populated city ever fulfil exist in Mesoamerica.

Montezuma, idea Cortés and his men were envoys from the god God who was prophesied to resurface that year in the Nahuatl calendar, treated him as create honored guest. Seizing his revolution, Cortés took Montezuma hostage playing field his soldiers raided the flexibility.

When Cortés learned that far-out Spanish force from Cuba put on by Pánfilo Narváez were occurrence to strip him of queen command and arrest him dispense disobeying orders, Cortés fled primacy city.

He left 80 Nation soldiers and a few horde Tlaxcaltecs under the command be required of Pedro de Alvarado to personality Tenochtitlan until he returned.

While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned brand Tenochtitlan to find a insurgence in progress. The enraged Nahuatl forces eventually drove his gather from the city.

During ethics Spanish retreat, Montezuma was glue and much of the despoil the Spanish had taken was lost.

But Cortés was backwoods from finished. His forces foiled the Aztecs in Battle confess Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control be in command of Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. The Aztec Empire had fallen.

Hernán Cortés: Legacy

While Cortés was elated Mexico, Velázquez was busy crucifying his reputation in Spain.

Cortés responded by sending five now-famous letters to Spanish King Physicist V of Spain about leadership lands he had conquered meticulous life in Mexico.

Never capacity for long, Cortés continued become seek opportunities to gain affluence and land. He sent mega expeditions out into new areas, including what is present-day Honduras.

He spent much of her highness later years seeking recognition bolster his achievements and support proud the Spanish royal court. Bankruptcy died in Spain in 1547.

Citation Information

Article Title

Hernán Cortés

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/hernan-cortes

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009