Hernán cortés accomplishments
Hernán Cortés and Diego Velázquez
Cortés was born in to Martín Cortés de Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor nobles in Medellín, Spain. He studied in Salamanca for a time but soon grew restless and left Spain in to explore the New World. The young Cortés landed in Hispaniola, or modern-day Santo Domingo.
He served as a notary in the town of Azúa for a few years before joining Diego Velázquez on a expedition to Cuba, where he climbed the ranks of the local government to become mayor of Santiago.
Not content on dry land, Cortés was to set sail for Mexico in , this time in command of his own expedition, but Velázquez cancelled the trip.
Hernan cortes small biography examples list Cortes landed at the Mayan capital, Tenochtitlan on November 8, He decided to head to Hispaniola, an island in the West Indies, to seek his fortune. Email Updates. He came from a lesser noble family in Spain.Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico anyway with men and 11 ships to seek his fortune.
Hernán Cortés: Fast Facts
Cortés ‘Discovers’ Mexico
Cortés and his crew reached Mexico in February of They dropped anchor at Tabasco, where he gained intelligence from locals about the land he desired to conquer. They also gave him gifts in the form of 20 women.
One of them, Marina, became his interpreter and they had a son, Martín, together.
Cortés landed in Veracruz next, where his men elected him chief justice. According to some accounts, he sunk all but one of his ships before sending the intact one back to Spain. There would be no retreat for his men, only conquest.
Cortés Defeats The Aztecs
Cortés used his new allies and united them against the Aztecs, who were resented by local groups for the high tributes they exacted.
By the time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come to rule over small states and some 5 to 6 million people. He used deadly force to conquer Mexico, fighting Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors before turning his attention on the ultimate prize: taking over the Aztec Empire.
He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home to ruler Montezuma II, on November 8, Tenochtitlán, located near today’s Mexico City, had more than , inhabitants at its height, and was the most densely populated city ever to exist in Mesoamerica. Montezuma, thinking Cortés and his men were envoys from the god Quetzalcoatl who was prophesied to return that year in the Aztec calendar, treated him as an honored guest.
Seizing his chance, Cortés took Montezuma hostage and his soldiers raided the city.
When Cortés learned that a Spanish force from Cuba led by Pánfilo Narváez were arriving to strip him of his command and arrest him for disobeying orders, Cortés fled the city.
Hernan cortes small biography examples for kids His forces defeated the Aztecs in Battle of Otumba on July 7, , and he regained control of Tenochtitlan by August 13, His health improved and he trained as a soldier, taking part in the subjugation of the parts of Hispaniola that had held out against the Spanish. Use limited data to select content. Art History U.He left 80 Spanish soldiers and a few hundred Tlaxcaltecs under the command of Pedro de Alvarado to hold Tenochtitlan until he returned.
While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Aztec chiefs, and Cortés returned to Tenochtitlan to find a rebellion in progress. The enraged Aztec forces eventually drove his forces from the city.
During the Spanish retreat, Montezuma was killed and much of the plunder the Spanish had taken was lost. But Cortés was far from finished.
Hernan cortes small biography examples pdf Most of his soldiers had been peasants or younger sons of minor nobility with little to look forward to in terms of wealth or prestige. In , he participated in the conquest of Cuba and Hispaniola and was rewarded with Indian slaves and a large estate of land for his contribution during the expedition. In he returned to Spain to plead his case for more power and received a mixed response. Cortes landed at the Mayan capital, Tenochtitlan on November 8,His forces defeated the Aztecs in Battle of Otumba on July 7, , and he regained control of Tenochtitlan by August 13, The Aztec Empire had fallen.
Hernán Cortés: Legacy
While Cortés was conquering Mexico, Velázquez was busy crucifying his reputation in Spain. Cortés responded by sending five now-famous letters to Spanish King Charles V of Spain about the lands he had conquered and life in Mexico.
Never content for long, Cortés continued to seek opportunities to gain wealth and land. He sent more expeditions out into new areas, including what is present-day Honduras.
Hernan cortes small biography examples He was forced to go back to Spain where the king appointed him a captain-general. Ferdinand Magellan. He travels safest in the dark night who travels lightest. Here, he met Montezuma, who welcomed him and his small army of Spaniards.He spent much of his later years seeking recognition for his achievements and support from the Spanish royal court. He died in Spain in
By: Editors
works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the team.
Articles with the “ Editors” byline have been written or edited by the editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata.
Citation Information
- Article Title
- Hernán Cortés
- Author
- Editors
- Website Name
- HISTORY
- URL
- Date Accessed
- January 19,
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- June 6,
- Original Published Date
- November 9,
Fact Check
We strive for accuracy and fairness.
But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.