Hernan Cortes

Birth

Jan 1, 1485

Hernán Cortés, marqués del Valle de Oaxaca, also known as Hernan Cortes was born in 1485. He was born in the Kingdom of Castile. His father was, Martín Cortés de Monroy, and his mother was, Catalina Pizarro Altamirano.

Study

Jan 1, 1499

At the young age of 14 he was sent to study Salamanca in 1499. Where he studied was west central Spain. He was sent because he was very intelligent and clever in everything he did. So his parents sent him to study.

Exploring

Jan 1, 1504

He was thinking about fighting in the Italian war but instead he wandered Italy for about a year. He finally sailed for the island of Hispaniola (now Santo Domingo) in 1504. He was 19 at the time.

New Life

Jan 1, 1509

In Hispaniola he became a farmer, and notary to a town council. He contracted syphilis for that he missed the ill fated expeditions of Diego de Nicuesa and Alonso de Ojeda. Which sailed for the South American mainland in 1509.

Cuba

Jan 1, 1511

By 1511 he had recovered, and he sailed with Diego Velázquez to conquer Cuba. There Velázquez was the governor. There, Cortes received a repartimiento (gift of land and Indian slaves), also the first house in the new capital of Santiago. He was a man with a lot of power. He became to turn for leadership.

Rejoining

Feb 1, 1519

Cortes rejoined Tlaxcalan allies and reorganized his forces before again marching on Tenochtitlán in December, 1520. After subduing the neighbouring territories he laid siege to the city itself. Conquering it street by street until its capture was completed on August 13, 1521.

Yucatán

Feb 18, 1519

He sailed for the coast of Yucatán on, February 18, 1519. He had 11 ships, 508 soldiers, about 100 sailors. But most important his 16 horses.

Spouce

Mar 1, 1519

In March, 1519 he made it to Tabasco. He learned intelligence from the tribes there. He met his wife there and they had a child.

Leading

Nov 8, 1519

Cortes entered Mexico city on November 8, 1519, with 1,000 Tlaxcaltecs. In accordance with the diplomatic customs of Mexico. Montezuma received him with great honour. Cortes soon decided to seize Montezuma in order to hold the country through its monarch and achieve not only its political conquest but its religious conversion.

Victory

Jun 20, 1520

This victory marked the fall of the Aztec empire. Cortes had become the absolute ruler of a huge territory extending from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. This happened on June 20, 1521.

Death

Dec 2, 1547

on December 2, 1547 he returned to Spain. He was old, he was poor, and he sure was he in debt. He was permitted to return to Mexico but later died on the way there.