THE CONQUISTADORS

Spanish Claims Empire

WHAT IS A CONQUISTADOR?

HERNAN CORTES AND THE SPANISH VS. MONTEZUMA AND THE AZTECS

HERNANDO CORTES:• Born in Spain to a noble but

poor family• 1504: at 19, he sailed to the

Americas to seek his fortune• Became a wealthy landholder

in Cuba, but wanted more• “I have come to win gold not to plow

the fields like a peasant.” page 64

• Chance came when he was picked to lead the expedition to Mexico

• Described as strong-willed, shrewd, and cruel

• Ruled the Aztec empire since 1502• According to Juan de Tovar, a

Jesuit, “When he spoke, he drew the sympathy of others by his subtle phrases and…by his profound reasoning.”

• Lived in great luxury• Received both officials and

commoners into his palace• Was treated almost as a god• His subjects were not allowed to

look at him• Though brutal at times, he was

said to be a just and effective ruler

• Page 64

MONTEZUMA

IN 1519, BOTH THEIR WORLDS

WOULD CHANGE…

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=W08SSUI60SWHERNAN CORTEZ AND THE AZTECS

ATAHUALPA AND THE INCAS VS FRANCISCO PIZARRO AND THE SPANISH

ATAHUALPA

• 13th, and last, Incan Emperor• Before his father’s untimely death,

from smallpox, Atahualpa governed present-day Ecuador and his older half-brother governed Cuzco (the capital) and south

• After the death of their father Atahualpa became Incan Emperor by killing his half-brother during a civil war

• Left the empire internally split

• Born in Spain in 1471• Was the 2nd cousin to Hernan Cortes• Not much is known about his early

life, but after the discovery of the New World he got on a ship and landed in the West Indies

• He lived on Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic)

• He went on a few explorations and conquests

• After hearing about a land of gold, he led expeditions to Peru to find riches

• He was heard saying “Here lies Peru with its riches; Here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian.“ – New World Encyclopedia

FRANCISCO PIZARRO

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DYVJOVTTQBIPIZARRO AND THE INCAS (START @ 2:58)

AZTEC CODEX

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