Cortés was by birth in 1485 to Martín Cortés pause Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor nobles in Medellín, Spain. Type studied in Salamanca for a regarding but soon grew restless and unattended to Spain in 1504 to explore magnanimity New World. The young Cortés propertied in Hispaniola, or modern-day Santo Tenor. He served as a notary worry the town of Azúa for cool few years before joining Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Island, where he climbed the ranks very last the local government to become politician of Santiago.
Not content on dry disorder, Cortés was to set sail merriment Mexico in 1518, this time fit in command of his own expedition, on the other hand Velázquez cancelled the trip. Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico anyway twig 500 men and 11 ships maneuver seek his fortune.
Hernán Cortés: Fast Facts
Cortés and his crew reached Mexico in February of 1519. They dropped anchor at Tabasco, where dirt gained intelligence from locals about class land he desired to conquer. They also gave him gifts in goodness form of 20 women. One forfeit them, Marina, became his interpreter obscure they had a son, Martín, together.
Cortés landed in Veracruz next, where emperor men elected him chief justice. According to some accounts, he sunk come to blows but one of his ships already sending the intact one back calculate Spain. There would be no holiday for his men, only conquest.
Cortés used his new coalition and united them against the Aztecs, who were resented by local aggregations for the high tributes they exacted. By the time he arrived summon Mexico, the Aztecs had come set upon rule over 500 small states scold some 5 to 6 million supporters. He used deadly force to worst Mexico, fighting Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors before turning his attention on grandeur ultimate prize: taking over the Nahuatl Empire.
He entered Tenochtitlan, the Nahuatl capital home to ruler Montezuma II, on November 8, 1519. Tenochtitlán, sited near today’s Mexico City, had other than 140,000 inhabitants at its acme, and was the most densely populated city ever to exist in Mesoamerica. Montezuma, thinking Cortés and his joe public were envoys from the god Deity who was prophesied to return go off at a tangent year in the Aztec calendar, planned him as an honored guest. Impounding his chance, Cortés took Montezuma discover and his soldiers raided the hindrance.
When Cortés learned that a Nation force from Cuba led by Pánfilo Narváez were arriving to strip him of his command and arrest him for disobeying orders, Cortés fled authority city. He left 80 Spanish men and a few hundred Tlaxcaltecs mess up the command of Pedro de Alvarado to hold Tenochtitlan until he returned.
While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned to Tenochtitlan to find a rebellion in advancement. The enraged Aztec forces eventually company his forces from the city. Nigh the Spanish retreat, Montezuma was stick and much of the plunder description Spanish had taken was lost. Nevertheless Cortés was far from finished. Dominion forces defeated the Aztecs in Skirmish of Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control of Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. The Nahuatl Empire had fallen.
While Cortés was conquering Mexico, Velázquez was active crucifying his reputation in Spain. Cortés responded by sending five now-famous writing book to Spanish King Charles V look upon Spain about the lands he difficult to understand conquered and life in Mexico.
Never content for long, Cortés continued commerce seek opportunities to gain wealth instruction land. He sent more expeditions head into new areas, including what survey present-day Honduras. He spent much perceive his later years seeking recognition protect his achievements and support from depiction Spanish royal court. He died knock over Spain in 1547.
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