Spanish Conquistadors
Cortes
Pizarro
Coronado
Conquistadors
- Spanish for conquer
- were soldiers and explorers
- were very holy people who would generally pray before going to battle
- most famous is Pizarro and Cortes not Coronado
- Obsessed with matters of honor and reputation
- Spanish soldiers had a reputation for rowdiness and duels not uncommon
Cortes
- Born to a family of lower nobility
- his father was an infantry Captain for the Spanish army
- He is 2nd cousin once removed with Pizarro
- Conquered the Aztec empire
- Aztec thought he was Quetzalcoatl
Pizarro
- Spanish Conquistador
- Conquered the Incan civilization
- Only had 168 men and 27 horses and 1 cannon
- Got the defeated soldiers from the Ican civil war to fight with him
Reasons why they attacked
- Treasure (gold and Silver)
- Polytheistic - not a fan
- Human sacrifice was not a well received practice world wide at this point
- exploring and wanted the land to set up Spanish colonies - very successful
- Slaves
- Thought there rituals were devil like
Issues with splitting the treasure
- The division of the treasures produced bloody conflicts, such as the one between Pizarro and Almargo
- After Peru to Spain, Francisco Pizarro told Almargo, before they became enemies to go to the Inca empire and claim it
Issues
- The arrival of Pedro de Alvarado from Mexico in search if Inca gold further complicated the situation for Almargo and Belalcazar
- Alvarado left South america in exchange for moetary compensation from Piarro
- Almargo was executed in 1538 under PIzarros orders
- Pizarro was assassinated
- IN 1546 Belalcazar ordered the execution of Jorge Robledo, who governed a neighboring province in yet another land related vendetta
- Balacazar was tried, convicted and condemned for killing Robledo and other offenses pertaining to the wars
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