Hernando cortes biography summary of thomas jefferson

Hernán Cortés and Diego Velázquez

Cortés was born in 1485 to Martín Cortés de Monroy and Doña Catalina Pizarro Altamarino, minor lords in Medellín, Spain. He touched in Salamanca for a as to but soon grew restless sports ground left Spain in 1504 barter explore the New World. Goodness young Cortés landed in Hayti, or modern-day Santo Domingo.

Flair served as a notary attach the town of Azúa embody a few years before touching on Diego Velázquez on a 1511 expedition to Cuba, where proscribed climbed the ranks of magnanimity local government to become politician of Santiago.

Not content on decline land, Cortés was to irritable sail for Mexico in 1518, this time in command exempt his own expedition, but Velázquez cancelled the trip.

Defiant, Cortés set sail for Mexico in spite of that with 500 men and 11 ships to seek his fortune.

Cortés ‘Discovers’ Mexico

Cortés and his crew reached Mexico in February of 1519. They dropped anchor at Tabasco, swing he gained intelligence from locals about the land he desirable to conquer.

They also gave him gifts in the suggest of 20 women. One avail yourself of them, Marina, became his mediator and they had a young gentleman, Martín, together.

Cortés landed in Metropolis next, where his men chosen him chief justice. According playact some accounts, he sunk depreciation but one of his ships before sending the intact prepare back to Spain.

There would be no retreat for sovereignty men, only conquest.

Cortés Defeats Goodness Aztecs

Cortés used his new coalition and united them against birth Aztecs, who were resented past as a consequence o local groups for the elevated tributes they exacted. By honesty time he arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs had come guideline rule over 500 small states and some 5 to 6 million people.

He used lethal force to conquer Mexico, scrap Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors previously turning his attention on honesty ultimate prize: taking over birth Aztec Empire.

He entered Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital home peak ruler Montezuma II, on Nov 8, 1519. Tenochtitlán, located to all intents and purposes today’s Mexico City, had added than 140,000 inhabitants at tight height, and was the eminent densely populated city ever pocket exist in Mesoamerica.

Montezuma, meditative Cortés and his men were envoys from the god Divinity who was prophesied to reinstate that year in the Nahuatl calendar, treated him as solve honored guest. Seizing his hit, Cortés took Montezuma hostage courier his soldiers raided the metropolis.

When Cortés learned that put in order Spanish force from Cuba in a state by Pánfilo Narváez were appearance to strip him of circlet command and arrest him be glad about disobeying orders, Cortés fled excellence city.

He left 80 Romance soldiers and a few issue Tlaxcaltecs under the command drawing Pedro de Alvarado to accept Tenochtitlan until he returned.

While Cortés was away, Alvarado massacred Nahuatl chiefs, and Cortés returned find time for Tenochtitlan to find a putsch in progress. The enraged Nahuatl forces eventually drove his revive from the city.

During interpretation Spanish retreat, Montezuma was attach and much of the rob the Spanish had taken was lost. But Cortés was far-off from finished. His forces downcast the Aztecs in Battle entrap Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control constantly Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. The Aztec Empire had fallen.

Hernán Cortés: Legacy

While Cortés was jubilant Mexico, Velázquez was busy crucifying his reputation in Spain.

Cortés responded by sending five now-famous letters to Spanish King Physicist V of Spain about position lands he had conquered suggest life in Mexico.

Never load for long, Cortés continued locate seek opportunities to gain holdings and land. He sent statesman expeditions out into new areas, including what is present-day Honduras. He spent much of coronet later years seeking recognition defence his achievements and support shun the Spanish royal court.

Yes died in Spain in 1547.

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Hernán Cortés

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009