Hernan Cortes Have you ever wanted something so much you would do almost anything to get it?

Early Days Hernan Cortes raised in a poor farming family in Spain News of Columbus’ journey reached Spain and the gold he brought back changed his mind about University, where he had attended 1 yr. Sailed to Hispanola at 19, became a notary, friends with Diego Velazquez, helped conquer Cuba, made Captain in Army Began gathering troops for expedition to Mainland(Mexico), Velazquez forbid it, sailed before arrested w/ 11 ships and 500 men

Conquest 1 st landed met Rodriguez who was only survivor of Cordoba expedition that had come earlier, became his interpreter, established Vera Cruz and then burned and sunk the ships Made alliances with Mayan, Txalcallan and over 300 other tribes and began to march to Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztecs Montezuma sent gifts, including women, one LaMalenche spoke Aztec and Mayan and was Cortes translator Attacked some tribes and welcomed others Invited by Montezuma to palace, captured emperor, held hostage, fled city with Montezuma’s daughter and gold; returned with 300,000 natives in his army 3yrs later smallpox had weakened Aztecs, returns to Tenochtitlan with Montezuma’s daughter and Montezuma killed, some say by own people other by Cortes

Conqueror and Governor After defeating Montezuma, Cortes is named by King Charles I of Spain, Governor of the Valley of Mexico and is given unlimited power Cortes then enslaves any natives who fought against him and even some who fought with him Gave his 300 soldiers huge tracts of land and permission to enslave the natives and use them “ for the Glory of Spain” He also required all natives to be baptized into the Catholic church He required very high taxes almost 40% and this has him called back to Spain where Velazquez accuses him of being a Criminal and orders him arrested Taken before the King, Cortes has his title stripped away and other Spaniards are given the credit for conquering Mexico Dies Poor in his parents village, later renamed conqueror of Mexico