The Aztec Empire was conquered by a Spanish conquistador in 1521, who went on to claim Mexico for his country. He became a governor of New Spain, which included large parts of North, Central and South America and several Pacific island archipelagos.
"Hernn's role in the Age of Exploration was influential but controversial, and like many explorers we know about today, he was influential but controversial," said the former administrator of education and digital services at the museum. He was a man who wanted to convert Native inhabitants to Catholicism and plunder the lands for gold and wealth.
He was born in Spain in the 13th century. His family was not rich, but he was the only son. He was a difficult child and the source of a lot of anxiety for his parents. The secretary who wrote the history of the New World expedition described the conquistador as haughty, mischievous and angry.
He dropped out of the University of Salamanca after two years because he was unhappy and wanted a life of action. The tales of Christopher Columbus' New World explorations caught the attention of the artist.
Columbus and his expedition members were the first to visit the West Indies when they traveled to the archipelago in 1492. Columbus wanted to find a way to Asia or India. He wanted to trade pepper and cinnamon from India and the "Spice Islands" in Indonesia in order to make more money.
The Americas were completely unknown to Europeans at the time and Columbus' expedition stumbled upon them. The region is called the "West Indies" because Columbus thought he had reached Asia. Reports of Columbus' journey caused a wave of excitement in Spain and Europe, as well as several more expeditions set out to explore this "New World" in the years to come.
He wanted to be a part of the movement. Gaining public fame could make explorers rich. Many of the explorers were ambitious men who had been professional soldiers or were mercenaries and often acted on their own initiative rather than seeking funding from the Spanish Crown according to the Thought Company. Private funding of their expeditions was common. They had to get the approval of the colonial officials to mount an expedition.
There is fortune and adventure in Hispaniola. The New World was established in 1504.
He lived in the town of Azua and worked as a farmer. Diego Velzquez de Cullar's expedition to conquer Cuba was occupied by two major Native American groups. The town of Santiago was established after the conquest and served as the island's capital until the establishment of Havana in 1515. His time in Cuba made him rich because he was able to buy enslaved people and have them work for him. He gained influence among the colonists by purchasing a house in Santiago.
He was hungry for more power even though he was successful. He convinced the governor of Cuba, Velzquez, to allow him to lead an expedition to Mexico in 1518. The captain-general of the expedition was appointed by Velzquez but soon became jealous of his power. The voyage was canceled by Velzquez at the last minute, but he wasn't the only one.
The Mexican coast at Yucatn was the site of the domain of the Maya people. The Spanish were interested in converting the Native Americans to Christianity. The majority of Europeans had a similar view of the Indigenous people. One of the first places the Spaniards landed was a small island off the Yucatn coast. The pagan idols were destroyed and replaced with figures of the Virgin Mary.
The Native warriors fought back when the force sailed west to Tabasco. The Natives gave up when the Spanish force overwhelmed them. The Spaniards' weaponry, including steel weapons, arquebuses and crossbows, proved superior in the battle. The Indigenous people were not familiar with the horses and were scared of them. The Natives' encounter with the horses was described in the book " The True History of the Conquest of New Spain". They quitted the plain and retreated to a higher place.
The Europeans received food, supplies, and 20 women from the Natives. The figure of La Malinche became an important one.
She became bilingual and was very useful to the people of the Dominican Republic. She became the personal interpreter, guide and mistress of the man. During this time and place, she had a high status for both a woman and a Native.
An excellent woman and fine interpreter throughout the wars in New Spain, Tlaxcala and Mexico, Daz said. Without her, we wouldn't have understood the Mexican language, and we wouldn't have been able to overcome many difficulties.
There is a child who is sometimes called El Mestizo. He was a mixed heritage child. Catalina Suarez arrived in Mexico in 1522. Historians don't know if she continued to acknowledge La Malinche or Martn after she arrived. His desire to maintain his reputation and standing among the Spanish community was stronger than his need to be a husband and father to Malinche and Martn.
After a short time in Yucatn, he sailed west again. He declared himself under orders from King Charles I of Spain when he founded Veracruz, which is now Mexico. He prepared his men for the long march to Tenochtitln by disciplining and training them. Some scholars disagree with the story that he burned his ships to make it impossible to leave.
On the eve of their long march, the soldiers were exhorted by their leader. "Cortes then addeduced many beautiful comparisons from history, and mentioned several heroic actions of the Romans," Daz wrote.
The Mexica, also known as the Aztecs, were a major force in Mexico. The Aztec Empire ruled a large part of Mexico and central America during the 15th and 16th century. The Aztecs were known for creating a thriving society that ruled over a hostile amalgam of Native Americans with different languages and cultures. According to the World History Encyclopedia, the Aztecs expanded aggressively during the 15th century because they had conquered their neighbors. The Aztecs ruled with the help of two other cities in the region, Texcoco and Tlacopan. The Aztecs dominated the Triple Alliance.
The capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitln, was founded in 1519. Although he was well received by the emperor of the Aztecs, his intentions were not always good. He wanted to rule them.
The center of the Aztec Empire was Tenochtitlan. It was larger and had more people than many European cities of the time. The city of Paris had an estimated population of 225,000 in the 16th century. It was founded in A.D. 1325 on two small islands in the middle of Lake Texcoco and was connected to the mainland by a number of causeways. The Great Temple was located in the center of the temple district. The Aztec gods of the war god and the rain god were honored by this imposing structure. The god of art and learning who was associated with the planet Venus was one of the prominent buildings.
"When we gazed upon all this splendor at once, we barely knew what to think, and we doubted whether all that we beheld was legit," Daz said. The banks of the lake were home to a series of large towns, which rose magnificently above the water. At regular distances, we passed over new bridges, and before us lay the great city of Mexico in all its glory.
An Aztec prophecy was said to coincide with the arrival of Cortes. The god of the Aztecs was going to come back to Earth. Montezuma was hesitant to confront the Spanish because he was afraid of angering the god. Many modern scholars argue that the myth of the Aztecs being superior to the Spanish was a way for Europeans to justify their actions after the conquest.
As the conquistador neared the capital, he dispatched envoys to meet him. The Natives were stunned by the shots from the Spanish arquebuses.
At the beginning of the meeting between the two leaders, it was calm. The conquistadors received gifts of gold. Things didn't stay the same. The city was sacked by the man. Tenochtitln was ruled through the help of La Malinche. The Aztec plan to destroy the army was informed by her.
The army of Spain helped oust the city. Other Indigenous groups were important to his success. The people of Tlaxcala aided him in taking Tenochtitln. The Aztecs weren't always popular rulers. He was able to use this to his advantage when he heard about it. The ruler of Tlaxcala saw an opportunity to destroy the Aztec Empire. They formed an alliance and were given thousands of warriors to join. Additional knowledge on Aztec fighting styles and defenses given by Xicotencatl and the additional men gave the Spaniards a helpful edge.
The Spanish landed on the coast of Mexico in the spring of 1520. It had been sent by Velzquez to get rid of him. According to the World History Encyclopedia, when they heard of the new Spanish force, they took a force of Spanish and Tlaxcalan soldiers. The Spanish garrison in Tenochtitln was attacked by the Aztecs after the Spanish force was defeated.
Cortés tried to quell the attack by trying to get Montezuma to speak to the Aztecs. The Aztecs distrusted their king. The event in which Montezuma was killed is still being debated. It is not known if he was killed by his own forces or by the Spanish. The Aztecs say that Montezuma survived the attack by his warriors but was killed by the Spanish.
They left the city. Most of the plunder they had taken from the city was lost when they retreated.
The Spanish were in Tenochtitln for a long time and started a disease. A member of the Cuban force contracted the disease. The Aztec people had no immunity to the disease and when the soldier's body was taken, an Aztec caught it.
The people of Tlaxcala helped the army regroup and return to Tenochtitln. The society of the city had fallen. After 93 days of siege, the Aztecs, weakened by disease, hunger and having incurred significant losses, surrendered. The Spanish and their allies descended on the city and unleashed a storm of violence.
Mexico City was built on the ruins. Many Europeans came to live in the city after it became a pre-eminent one. The governor of New Spain was appointed by the King of Spain.
According to the World History Encyclopedia, the conquest of Mexico by the Spanish ended in 1525. The change to Spanish rule had huge and long- lasting consequences. A new, almost caste-like social order was created with the Spanish occupying the highest positions of power and the Indigenous people being forced into the role of subservience. Mexico would be characterized by this social dynamic for a long time.
Honduras, a part of central America that had not yet been conquered by the Spanish, was the location of the expedition in 15 24. He stayed for two years, establishing a city and appointing a governor, but when he returned to Mexico, his allies had turned against him. He was accused of enriching himself. He went to Spain to plead with the king, but he never got the governorship again. He married for a second time in Spain to a Spanish noblewoman who had three children.
He was allowed to return to Mexico by the king. Baja California for Spain was discovered in the late 1530's. He retired to Spain in 1540 and spent the last years of his life trying to get recognition for his accomplishments.
He decided to go back to Mexico. He died from an inflammation of the tissues that line the lungs and chest.
He is a controversial figure because of his treatment of Natives. He was not the only one who treated the Indigenous people differently. Many of the Indigenous people were wiped out from European diseases due to his actions. Many explorers' interactions with Natives would include both scenarios.
The world was changed by the work of Cortés. The Spanish monarch was able to take advantage of new and profitable land. He oversaw the building of Mexico's capital city. He opened the door for further exploration and conquest of Central America to the south and eventually led to the acquisition of California towards the north.
The original article was published on Live Science on September 28, 2017).
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