The Life of hernando cortes By Nazm kaur grewal hi

Birth Hernando Cortes was born in 1485 (exact date unknown) in Medellín, Spain. Born to Catalina Pizarro Altmarino and Martín Cortes de Monroy. He had four sisters and no brothers.

Education At the age of 14, Cortes was sent to the University of Salamanca to study law but didn’t enjoy it and failed the course in 1501. Cortes heard rumors about explorers traveling to the “New World” and was very enthralled by these stories. After failing his course, Cortes joined a group of trained sailors, led by Nicolas de Ovando and Diego Velaquez

First voyage In 1502, Cortes joined the Ovando voyage to the “New World” and sailed to Hispaniola The Ovando voyage consisted of 2500 men and 30 ships.

Second voyage Cortes is made a sailor on Velazquez’s voyage to Cuba in 1511. The voyage consisted of 4 vessels and 300 men. Once they successfully reached Cuba, they established Bayamo, Cuba (in 1513). Trinidad, Santo Espiritu, Puerto Principe and Santiago, Cuba were later on founded in 1514.

Third voyage In 1518, an explorer, named Juan de Grijalva, discovered Mexico and convinced Velazquez to sail there Cortes was appointed as captain on Velazquez’s journey In 1519, they sailed to the Yucatan Peninsula and soon discovered Tenochtitlan and Tabasco. In Tabasco, Cortes met a women named Malinche and made her his mistress, guide and interpreter.

THE AZTEC EMPIRE Cortes established La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz in Mexico He meets the people there and learns about the nearby riches, and the culture, customs and religion of the Aztec Empire The Aztecs believe that Cortes is the Aztec God, Quetzalcoal, because his arrival clashes with the predicted arrival of the God

Torture The Aztecs treated Cortes very kindly, but the friendliness didn’t stay for a long time Fearing an attack, Cortes held the Aztec King, Montezuma II, hostage and forced him to swear an alliance with Charles V of Spain Velazquez sent 1400 men to arrest Cortes since Cortes had left to go to Mexico without him

Death Cortes died at the age of 62 on December 2nd, 1547 in Castilleja de la Cuesta, Spain The cause of his death was pleurisy, an infection in the lungs