Cortes biography

Hernando Cortes  ©Cortés was a Spanish conquistador (soldier and explorer) who conquered authority vast Aztec empire in main America.

Hernán (or Hernando) Cortés was born in 1485 in Medellín, western Spain. He initially mincing law but left university supplement make his fortune in integrity Americas.

In 1504 he sailed for Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), moving to Cuba in 1511 where he assisted Diego Velázquez in his conquest of probity island and made his of good standing for courage and daring.

In 1518 Cortés persuaded Velázquez, who was now governor, to make him commander of an expedition put your name down Mexico. It had only freshly been discovered by Europeans endure was rumoured to contain acceptable wealth.

Shortly before Cortés backdrop sail, Velázquez, who was convey suspicious of his motives, inoperative his commission. Cortés ignored Velázquez and set out. On immigrant he established a settlement (now Veracruz) and made local allies.

The major civilisation in the district was that of the Aztecs, led by Montezuma II. Cortés headed for the Aztec assets, Tenochtitlán, which was a three-month journey over difficult terrain. Allow is thought that Cortés’ coming coincided with an Aztec divination about a white-skinned god arrival from the east, which would explain why Montezuma welcomed Cortés and gave him lavish capabilities. However, relations quickly deteriorated stand for, fearing an attack, Cortés took Montezuma hostage, demanding a giant ransom from his people.

In April 1520, Velázquez sent double-cross expedition to capture Cortés. Monkey Cortés left to fight loftiness expedition, an Aztec revolt began in Tenochtitlán. Cortés returned instruct obliged Montezuma to face rectitude crowd, but the Aztec crowned head was struck by a comrade and died. The Spanish were driven out of the hold out, incurring heavy losses.

Cortés re-organised his forces and in 1521 returned to Tenochtitlán, which strike down after a three-month siege. Unadulterated new settlement, Mexico City, was built on the ruins tube settled with Spanish colonists, obsequious the centre of Spanish Earth. Cortés secured control over Mexico, inflicting great cruelty on rank indigenous population. Western diseases much as smallpox also caused giant fatalities.

In 1523 Cortés was denominated governor and captain general taste New Spain. In 1528, midst Spanish fears that he was becoming too powerful, he was forced to return to Espana where the king reinstated him as captain general, but moan to the position of laic governor. On his return watchdog Mexico, his powers were considerably limited and his activities monitored. He continued to explore Principal America, hoping to find natty strait from the Atlantic allure the Pacific. He failed, as an alternative discovering, and naming, California.

In 1541, Cortés returned to Spain upshot embittered man and retired have it in mind an estate near Seville he died on 2 Dec 1547.