Conquistador was a name given to the warriors and explorers from Spain who took over and dominated over much of the American colonies in the sixteenth century. The most widely known subjugation were the ones that involved the conquering of the city of Tenochtitlan, the conquering of the Mayan empire, and the domination over the civilization of Peru. The Spanish explorers also subjected the Caribbean colonies to a lot of terror1. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to look into the issue of the Spanish armies in the 1500s and 1600s, and especially at the issue of conquistadors, and discuss their contribution to the history of this period.
Hernan Cortes was one of the leaders of the Spanish warriors and explorers. He lived between the period of 1485 and 1547. During his time, he led numerous invasions through which he conquered empires, as well as, ruined civilizations2. In 1506, Cortes is believed to have sailed to Santo Domingo in search of material wealth and military adventure. During his time, he led a total number of 600 men who helped him conquer and capture Mayan, from where he obtained numerous slaves and concubines. He soon started to lust for power rather than wealth.
The leader’s success in invading the Aztec capital was furthered considerably by his concubine Malinali, who he had captured in Mayan. The Spaniards were extremely advanced in war weapons and armor, unlike their captives. As a result, of these weapons and tools they were able to conquer many emperors. Subsequent influenza, measles and small pox outbreaks served as an ally of the Spanish army in conquering Aztec. Through his cunningness, Cortes was able to conquer and take over the Aztec empire3.
Francisco Pizarro was also another powerful military leader of the Spanish armies. He led his men towards the Inca Empire, which was extremely powerful. This empire was as well conquered with the help of diseases. Spain managed to conquer and rule over much of the western hemisphere in thirteen years. As soon as the conquistadors had conquered these empowers, the monarchs of Spain took over by establishing complex, bureaucratic empires. This had significant impacts in the region. For example, they permanently changed the natural environment by the introduction of human diseases, livestock and food crops from different continents. The conquistadors also enslaved numerous civilians from these empires4. The reign of the Spaniards also saw the downfall and the destruction of many civilizations and empires. For example, the civilizations of Mexico, as well as, that of Peru lay in ruins after the conquistadors were done with them5.
The Spanish conquistadors managed to conquer and take over much of the civilizations in the western hemisphere. As it follows, they influenced the new shape of the society that followed these conquests. The Spaniards took new ecological impacts wherever they went, for example, they introduced new foods and produce to their destinations, as well as, new diseases. The cultural heritages of these civilizations were also forever changed as a result of intermarriages and slavery.
Bibliography
Jara, Rene and Nicholas Spadaccini. Amerindian Images and the Legacy of Columbus.
Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1992.
The Emergence of an Atlantic World: Europe, Africa, and America, 1450- 1620. 23- 27.
Resendez, Andres. Land So Strange: the Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca. New York: Basic
Books, 2008.
