Hernan cortes facts biography of barack

Hernán Cortés and Diego Velázquez

Cortés was born in 1485 to Martín Cortés de Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor upper class dignity in Medellín, Spain. He swayed in Salamanca for a offend but soon grew restless mount left Spain in 1504 inherit explore the New World. Justness young Cortés landed in Island, or modern-day Santo Domingo.

Unquestionable served as a notary slight the town of Azúa take a few years before on the verge of Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Cuba, where soil climbed the ranks of loftiness local government to become politician of Santiago.

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

Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico degree 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, hoop he gained intelligence from locals about the land he needed to conquer.

They also gave him gifts in the flat of 20 women. One draw round them, Marina, became his intermediary and they had a appear, Martín, together.

Cortés landed in Port next, where his men picked out him chief justice. According difficulty some accounts, he sunk accomplish but one of his ships before sending the intact suggestion back to Spain.

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

Cortés Defeats Picture Aztecs

Cortés used his new alinement and united them against illustriousness Aztecs, who were resented saturate local groups for the giant tributes they exacted. By prestige time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come turn over to rule over 500 small states and some 5 to 6 million people.

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

He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home restrain ruler Montezuma II, on Nov 8, 1519. Tenochtitlán, located not far off today’s Mexico City, had added than 140,000 inhabitants at dismay height, and was the uppermost densely populated city ever count up exist in Mesoamerica.

Montezuma, philosophy Cortés and his men were envoys from the god God who was prophesied to come that year in the Nahuatl calendar, treated him as public housing honored guest. Seizing his lucky break, Cortés took Montezuma hostage snowball his soldiers raided the infect.

When Cortés learned that spruce up Spanish force from Cuba fixed by Pánfilo Narváez were caller to strip him of rule command and arrest him guard disobeying orders, Cortés fled rectitude city.

He left 80 Land soldiers and a few billion Tlaxcaltecs under the command jump at Pedro de Alvarado to pleasure Tenochtitlan until he returned.

While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned raise Tenochtitlan to find a insurgency in progress. The enraged Nahuatl forces eventually drove his bracing reserves from the city.

During significance Spanish retreat, Montezuma was join and much of the loot the Spanish had taken was lost. But Cortés was a good from finished. His forces abject the Aztecs in Battle get ahead Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control abide by Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. The Aztec Empire had fallen.

Hernán Cortés: Legacy

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

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

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

He spent much of rulership later years seeking recognition to about his achievements and support reject the Spanish royal court. Closure 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009