Hernan (also Hernando or Fernando) Cortes was born in Medellin, Estramadura, in Spain in 1485 to a family of minor nobility.
Hernan Cortes was a fierce conquistador from Spain that grew up in a noble family. In 1504, he headed out for Hispaniola but ended up in Cuba in 1511. Cortes convinced the Cuban governor to let him be the leader and general of an expedition to Mexico. He then established Veracruz, and was elected official General. Cortes scorched his ships. His men were skeptical about
Hernán Cortes is one of Spain's most influential explorers. He heard of the failed expeditions that had been repelled by the indians, and he believed that he could succeed where they had failed. In 1519, he landed of the coast of mexico with about 600 troops, 16 horses, and some cannons. The armour they wore and the guns, horses, and cannons had never been seen by the indians before. The message quickly got back to Moctezuma, who sent emissaries to make peace with the conquistadors. This soon was found to be unsuccessful and Cortés started making his inland trek to Tenochtitlán. As he was making his way, he ran into many villages, many of which he recruited to help him in the fight against the Aztec people. Cortés himself was thought to be Quetzalcoatl by Moctezuma, a god-king that swore to return one
Hernando Cortes was one of the bravest military leaders of all time. Born in Medellin, Spain, he was a Spanish Conquistador who conquered most of Central America. He also gave Spain three-hundred years of control over Mexico. Cortes started exploring in the early 1500’s. He explored to find riches and conquered by being observant of the natives. With a small army, he conquered the Aztec Empire. Cortes went to the university in Salamanca, Spain. He attended the university to study Latin and Law. Unfortunately, Cortes completed only two years of school. He returned to his family in Medellin, Spain. However, life became boring for him. Nevertheless, Christopher Columbus inspired Cortes to explore the New World. Finally, Cortes was able to
As a young man hernan cortes studied law, but decided to seek a fortune in the recently found New World that Christopher Columbus had recently stumbled upon. Cortes ended up first in the island of Santo Domingo the Dominican Republic in 1504 when Cortes was only 19 years of age. Hernan stayed for 11 years but then he took part in the conquest of Cuba, the year was 1511. Cortes was appointed mayor of Santiago de Cuba up until 1518. Hernan Cortes had a taste of power and enjoyed it greatly and because of this his appetite for more conquests was immense. Hernan Cortes was a hero for joining two worlds and conquering the most powerful civilization of America. Some people thought Cortes was a villain for making the Aztec Empire disappear. Hernan
After Columbus returned to Spain, the Spanish government took a great interest in the Americas, especially South America. Spanish explorer, Hernando Cortes, landed on the coast of South America, and battles between the native Aztecs and the Spanish soon ensued. The Aztec population was estimated at 25 million, while Cortes landed with only 400 troops. Cortes and his 400 conquistadors easily defeated the Aztecs. Numerous critics of Columbus accuse him of bringing the Spanish oppression in South America that ruled over the Aztecs. One of the main reasons for Spain's easy victory was that thousand of Indians, who were oppressed by the Aztecs, fought alongside the Spanish conquistadors to free themselves from the oppression that the Aztecs had put on them for thousands of years. Columbus' critics not only blame him for the oppression of Native Americans, but also for slavery.
Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs written by Buddy Levy tells the story of a conquistador named Hernán Cortés who sailed to an unknown land and in less than two years, conquered the entire Aztec empire. Levy addresses many issues but is mainly concerned about the differences between the two cultures, which causes an issue between both the Spaniards and the Aztecs, and argues that people cannot take over an empire without clashing cultures. Religion and culture have been an issue then and now and although people are free to practice their own religion and culture, it is inappropriate for the Spaniards to impose their religion and culture to the Aztecs as this could also cause tension between ethnic groups.
Cortes challenged the native forces and entered Tenochtitlan taking the Aztec leader, Montezuma, as their hostage, this led to the uprising. However, both the Spanish and the Aztecs were superior in regards to their communication, their religion and their weapons.
For example, Hernan Cortes, launched his mission to the powerful Aztec Empire which ultimately resulted in its destruction, with the killing of many Native people. Cortes initially had no plans of attacking the Aztec Empire. He arrived in the Americas as a soldier on an expedition to explore Cuba with Diego Velasquez in 1511. After disobeying orders from Velasquez, Cortes travelled to Mexico with 500 men and 11 ships, arriving there in 1519. Cortes’ first attempt at capturing Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, failed when Velasquez sent troops to Mexico to capture Cortes and his men and force them to return to his army. Although he was heavily outnumbered, Cortes defeated Velasquez’s army, and moved on to Tenochtitlan once more. This time, he was successful in his attack, as he captured the capital, and killed the ruler of the Aztecs, Montezuma. However, with Cortes conquering the empire, many innocent lives were taken. Bartolome de las Casas, a famous Spanish priest who witnessed the Spanish cruelty, said that “We can estimate very surely and truthfully that in the forty years that have passed, with the infernal actions of the Christians, there have been unjustly slain more than twelve million men, women, and children” (Walbert. No Date). De las Casas goes on to say that “Their reason for killing and destroying such an
- Cortes actions played a vital role in helping establish Spanish settlement in the new world. He and his fleet of about 600 men traveled into Mexico in hopes of finding gold as well as glory. During his time in Mexico he persuaded Indian societies who were rivals of the Aztec Empire, to join his force to take over this mighty empire. He used terror and intimidation to do so along the way. After a few years he took down the Aztec Empire, which opened the door for other explorers to invade the new world as well in their hopes of finding gold as well.
You have probably learned about Christopher Columbus and how he discovered North America, but do you know about Hernándo Cortés? Hernán Cortés was a famous conquistador who caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Hernándo, was an amazing conquistador, had a hard early life, and is very important to our world today. Hernán brought large portions of Mexico under the King of Castile. He started many cocoa bean plantations. He had a rough early life and his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, but he went his own way. He was very wealthy and successful. Without him many things would have been different.
If anyone was to step foot on Aztec land, they would never be seen again. But what was different about Hernan Cortés, why was he not executed? They thought he was their god!
Francisco Pizarro: Spanish explorer who discovered and conquered the Inca Empire, nowadays Peru. Hernán Cortés: Spanish explorer who discovered and conquered the Aztec Empire, nowadays central Mexico.
To begin with, Christopher Columbus had already landed upon the Caribbean Islands in 1492 and his arrival had led many other European countries to conquest and invade the Native Americans land. Hernando Cortes was initially assigned to go on an Expedition to Mexico by the Spanish royal government and landed on the Island of Cozumel in 1519. After sailing into Veracruz and taking over it through force he made his way through the city of Tenochtitlan. Carrasco writes that upon arrival of the Aztec capital the Europeans were wonderstruck by the enormous