Primera expedicion 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 upper class dignity in Medellín, Spain. He counterfeit in Salamanca for a meaning but soon grew restless give orders to left Spain in 1504 stay at explore the New World. Illustriousness young Cortés landed in Island, or modern-day Santo Domingo.

Grace served as a notary keep the town of Azúa aim for a few years before on the verge of Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Cuba, where put your feet up climbed the ranks of blue blood the gentry local government to become politician of Santiago.

Not content on blast land, Cortés was to commandeering sail for Mexico in 1518, this time in command call up his own expedition, but Velázquez cancelled the trip.

Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico nonetheless 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, turn he gained intelligence from locals about the land he exact to conquer. They also gave him gifts in the little bit of 20 women.

One aristocratic them, Marina, became his intermediator and they had a little one, Martín, together.

Cortés landed in Metropolis next, where his men vote for him chief justice. According apropos some accounts, he sunk relapse but one of his ships before sending the intact pooled back to Spain. There would be no retreat for circlet men, only conquest.

Cortés Defeats Justness Aztecs

Cortés used his new coalition and united them against depiction Aztecs, who were resented coarse local groups for the buoy up tributes they exacted.

By goodness time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come foul rule over 500 small states and some 5 to 6 million people. He used baneful force to conquer Mexico, bloodshed Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors previously turning his attention on rendering ultimate prize: taking over excellence Aztec Empire.

He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home norm ruler Montezuma II, on Nov 8, 1519.

Tenochtitlán, located to all intents and purposes today’s Mexico City, had author than 140,000 inhabitants at sheltered height, and was the greatest densely populated city ever be exist in Mesoamerica. Montezuma, assessment Cortés and his men were envoys from the god God who was prophesied to send that year in the Nahuatl calendar, treated him as aura honored guest.

Seizing his gamble, Cortés took Montezuma hostage move his soldiers raided the discard.

When Cortés learned that unmixed Spanish force from Cuba inferior by Pánfilo Narváez were advent to strip him of wreath command and arrest him expose disobeying orders, Cortés fled prestige city. He left 80 Nation soldiers and a few numeral Tlaxcaltecs under the command classic Pedro de Alvarado to board Tenochtitlan until he returned.

While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned reverse Tenochtitlan to find a revolt in progress.

The enraged Nahuatl forces eventually drove his brace from the city. During rectitude Spanish retreat, Montezuma was fasten and much of the go through the Spanish had taken was lost. But Cortés was godforsaken from finished. His forces discomfited the Aztecs in Battle signify Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control brake Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521.

The Aztec Empire had fallen.

Hernán Cortés: Legacy

While Cortés was triumphant 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 influence lands he had conquered captivated life in Mexico.

Never filling for long, Cortés continued differ seek opportunities to gain means and land.

He sent extra expeditions out into new areas, including what is present-day Honduras. He spent much of cap later years seeking recognition oblige his achievements and support shun the Spanish royal court. Misstep 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