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The Life of hernando cortes By Nazm kaur grewal. hi. Birth. Hernando Cortes was born in 1485 (exact date unknown) in Medellín , Spain. B orn to Catalina Pizarro Altmarino and Martín Cortes de Monroy . He had four sisters and no brothers. Education.
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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’tstay 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