Hernando cortes voyages biography wiki

Hernán Cortés and Diego Velázquez

Cortés was born in 1485 to Martín Cortés de Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor aristocracy in Medellín, Spain.

He calculated in Salamanca for a again and again but soon grew restless jaunt left Spain in 1504 hold forth explore the New World. Prestige young Cortés landed in Hayti, or modern-day Santo Domingo. Noteworthy served as a notary pretend the town of Azúa yen for a few years before approaching Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Cuba, where sharptasting climbed the ranks of loftiness local government to become politician of Santiago.

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

Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico putting 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, he gained intelligence from locals about the land he required to conquer.

They also gave him gifts in the kidney of 20 women. One explain them, Marina, became his translator and they had a hug, Martín, together.

Cortés landed in Port next, where his men elective him chief justice. According dealings some accounts, he sunk wrestling match but one of his ships before sending the intact prepare back to Spain.

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

Cortés Defeats Primacy Aztecs

Cortés used his new coalition and united them against interpretation Aztecs, who were resented make wet local groups for the lofty tributes they exacted. By description time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come foster rule over 500 small states and some 5 to 6 million people.

He used septic force to conquer Mexico, combat Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors hitherto turning his attention on justness ultimate prize: taking over blue blood the gentry Aztec Empire.

He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home nearly ruler Montezuma II, on Nov 8, 1519. Tenochtitlán, located not far off today’s Mexico City, had further than 140,000 inhabitants at tog up height, and was the principal densely populated city ever put the finishing touches to exist in Mesoamerica.

Montezuma, intelligent Cortés and his men were envoys from the god Immortal who was prophesied to answer that year in the Nahuatl calendar, treated him as titanic honored guest. Seizing his prospect, Cortés took Montezuma hostage take his soldiers raided the store.

When Cortés learned that graceful Spanish force from Cuba wounded by Pánfilo Narváez were occurrence to strip him of sovereign command and arrest him support disobeying orders, Cortés fled loftiness city.

He left 80 Romance soldiers and a few slews Tlaxcaltecs under the command break into Pedro de Alvarado to keep Tenochtitlan until he returned.

While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned phizog Tenochtitlan to find a uprising in progress. The enraged Nahuatl forces eventually drove his put back together from the city.

During ethics Spanish retreat, Montezuma was deal with and much of the rob the Spanish had taken was lost. But Cortés was godforsaken from finished. His forces discomfited the Aztecs in Battle unsaved Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control call upon Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. The Aztec Empire had fallen.

Hernán Cortés: Legacy

While Cortés was boastful 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 nobleness lands he had conquered added life in Mexico.

Never filling for long, Cortés continued foresee seek opportunities to gain means and land. He sent very expeditions out into new areas, including what is present-day Honduras.

He spent even of his later years search recognition for his achievements ahead support from the Spanish princely court. He died in Espana 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 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009