Hernan Cortes Research Paper

Hernán Cortés was born in Medellin, Extremadura, Spain in the year 1485. Cortés was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who defeated the Aztec empire and claimed Mexico for Spain. Cortes was born in a wealthy family before his conquest of Mexico Cortes wanted to become a lawyer but failed to do so. Cortes was inspired of the stories he heard about the new world but what motivated him even more was the wealth the new world could bring him. In the year of 1502 at the age of 19 years old Cortés joined the expedition to the West Indies led by Nicolas de Ovando with Diego Velazquez that consisted of 2500 people and 30 ships.

Hernando Cortés was a excellent soldier under the command of Spanish soldier named Diego Velazquez. Cortés and Velazquez became very close friends in the year 1511 Diego Velazquez was selected as commander of an expedition to Cuba and Cortés joined him on his travel.The expedition to Cuba consisted of 4 ships with 300 men. In the year 1514 cuba had been conquered and the towns Santo Espiritu,Santiago de Cuba,Puerto Principe,Trinidad were founded. After the conquest of Cuba Cortés takes a break and becomes a farmer In year 1518 Velazquez decides to explore further into Mexico and Cortes sells all his land and boats to convince Velazquez to make him captain of the expedition to establish a colony in Mexico.
However in 1528 the Spanish feared that he was becoming too powerful in new spain and Cortés was forced to return to Spain. Once at spain the king reinstated him as captain, general but not as governor when Cortés returned to new spain his power was limited and his activities monitored. Cortés continued to explore Central America hoping to find a river connecting to the Atlantic to the Pacific. He failed to find one and instead discovered California. Cortés returns home to Spain in the year 1540. Hernando Cortes died on December 2, 1547 near Seville as a wealthy