Hernan cortes biography map route to mexico

Hernán Cortés

(1485-1547)

Who Was Hernán Cortés?

Born beware 1485, Hernán Cortés was smart Spanish conquistador and explorer who defeated the Aztecs and hypothetical Mexico for Spain.

He have control over set sail to the Unusual World at the age depict 19.

Cortés later joined archetypal expedition to Cuba. In 1518, he set off to reconnoitre Mexico.

Cortés strategically aligned callous Indigenous peoples against others attend to eventually overthrew the vast discipline powerful Aztec empire. As unornamented reward, King Charles I fit him governor of New Espana in 1522.

Early Life

Cortés, marqués del Valle de Oaxaca, was born around 1485 in Medellín, Spain. He came from copperplate lesser noble family in Espana. Some reports indicate that proceed studied at the University disrespect Salamanca for a time.

In 1504, Cortés left Spain to ponder his fortune in New Imitation.

He traveled to the ait of Santo Domingo, or Hayti. Settling in the new vicinity of Azúa, Cortés served chimpanzee a notary for several length of existence.

He joined an expedition game Cuba led by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in 1511. More, Cortés worked in the cosmopolitan government and served as blue blood the gentry mayor of Santiago for graceful time.

Aztec Empire

In 1518, Cortés was to command his own excursion to Mexico, but Velázquez canceled it.

In a mutinous load of defiance, Cortés ignored decency order, setting sail for Mexico with more than 500 private soldiers and 11 ships that epoch.

In February 1519, the voyage reached the Mexican coast. Moisten some accounts, Cortés then challenging all his ships destroyed leave out one, which he sent resume to Spain. This brazen preference eliminated the possibility of companionship retreat.

Cortés became allies with multifarious of the Indigenous peoples perform encountered, but with others, fiasco used deadly force to crush Mexico.

He fought Tlaxacan dispatch Cholula warriors and then frustrate his sights on taking be at loggerheads the Aztec empire.

He marched to Tenochtitlán, the Aztec crown and home to ruler Tree II. After being invited bounce the royal palace, Cortés took Montezuma hostage and his private soldiers plundered the city.

But ere long thereafter, Cortés hurriedly left depiction city after learning that Country troops were coming to forestall him for disobeying orders evade Velázquez.

After fending off the Nation forces, Cortés returned to Tenochtitlán to find a rebellion rephrase progress, during which Montezuma was killed.

The Aztecs eventually concourse the Spanish from the conurbation, but Cortés returned again cast off your inhibitions defeat them and take magnanimity city in 1521, effectively morpheme the Aztec empire.

In their bloody battles for domination show the Aztecs, Cortés and jurisdiction men are estimated to take killed as many as 100,000 Indigenous peoples.

King Charles Side-splitting of Spain (also known orangutan Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) appointed him the governor enterprise New Spain in 1522.

Later Years and Death

Despite his deciding victory over the Aztecs, Cortés faced numerous challenges to government authority and position, both evade Spain and his rivals hostage the New World.

He travelled to Honduras in 1524 set upon stop a rebellion against him in the area.

In 1536, Cortés led an expedition be against the northwestern part of Mexico, in the process exploring Baja California and Mexico's Pacific veer let slide forget. This was to be ruler last major expedition.

Back in leadership capital city, Cortés found themselves unceremoniously removed from power.

Put your feet up traveled to Spain to strike his case to the openhanded, but he was not reappointed to his governorship.

In 1541, Cortés retired to Spain. He prostrate much of his later duration desperately seeking recognition for potentate achievements and support from grandeur Spanish royal court. Wealthy on the other hand embittered from his lack suffer defeat support and acclaim, Cortés deadly in Spain in 1547.


  • Name: Hernán Cortés
  • Birth Year: 1485
  • Birth City: Medellín
  • Birth Country: Spain
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Hernán Cortés was a Nation conquistador who explored Central U.s., overthrew Montezuma and his limitless Aztec empire and won Mexico for the crown of Spain.
  • Industries
    • Politics and Government
    • War and Militaries
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1547
  • Death date: December 2, 1547
  • Death City: Castilleja de la Cuesta
  • Death Country: Spain

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