1. Explorer of Peru

2.  Francisco Pizarro was born in Trujillo, Spain. He was the son of Gonzalo Pizarro, an infantry colonel, and Francisca González, who was a poor woman. His exact birth date is uncertain, but is believed to be sometime in the 1470s, probably 1471.  He did not receive much education and he grew up not being able to read or to write.

3.  On 10th of November in 1509 Pizarro sailed from Spain to the New World with Alonzo Ojeda on an expedition to Urabí. He sailed to Cartagena and joined the fleet of Martin Fernandez de Enciso and, in 1513, accompaniedBolboa to the Pacific. In 1514, he found a supporter in Pedrarias Davila the Governor of Castilla de Oro, and was rewarded for his role in the arrest of Balboa with the positions of mayor and magistrate in Panama City serving from 1519 to 1523.

4.  Pizarro was tempted by Peru's riches and Cortés' success in Mexico. He took two expeditions to conquer the Incan Empire 1524 and in 1526. Both failed as a result of unfriendly natives, bad weather, and lack of provisions. The Governor of Panama, tried to stop Pizarro, but Pizarro refused to give up.  In April 1528, he reached northern Peru and found the natives rich with precious metals. This discovery gave Pizarro the motivation to plan a third expedition to conquer Peru, and he returned to Panama to make arrangements, but the Governor refused to grant permission for the project. Pizarro returned to Spain to appeal directly to King Charles I. His plea was successful. He was joined by family and friends, and the expedition left Panama in 1530.

5.  Pizarro founded the first Spanish settlement in Peru, San Miguel de Piura. The Inca leader, Atahuapla, refused to tolerate a Spanish presence in his lands, and was captured by Pizarro during the Battle of Cajamarca on 16 November 1532. A ransom for his release was demanded and Atahualpa filled a room with gold, but Pizarro charged him with various crimes and executed Atahualpa on 26 July 1533.  Pizarro then entered the Incan capital of Cuzco, and the conquest of Peru was complete.  In January 1535, Pizarro founded the city of Lima. However on 26 June 1541, Pizarro was killed in Lima. The conqueror of Peru was laid to rest in the Lima Cathedral.

9.  By William Ashley Mann