Francisco Pizarro

Conquest peru 1531

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Pizarro in Lima

Atawallpa Pizarro tinkuy

Interior of the Cathedral of Lima (2)

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Estatua ecuestre de Pizarro (Trujillo, España) 01

Spanish conquistador who led the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire

Francisco Pizarro (c. 1471–1476 – June 26, 1541) was a Spanish conquistador best known for leading the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Born in Trujillo, Crown of Castile, Pizarro was an illegitimate son of Gonzalo Pizarro Rodríguez de Aguilar, an infantry colonel, and Francisca González Mateos. He grew up in relative poverty and received little formal education.

Early Life

Pizarro's early life is not well-documented, but it is known that he spent his youth in Trujillo. He later joined the Spanish army and participated in various military campaigns in Italy.

Expeditions to the New World

In 1502, Pizarro joined an expedition to the New World led by Nicolás de Ovando, the newly appointed governor of Hispaniola. He later joined Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his expedition across the Isthmus of Panama, where they became the first Europeans to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World.

Conquest of the Inca Empire

In 1524, Pizarro embarked on his first expedition to explore the western coast of South America. After two unsuccessful attempts, he finally succeeded in 1532 with the help of his brothers and fellow conquistadors. Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa during the Battle of Cajamarca and later executed him, despite receiving a ransom of gold and silver. This marked the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.

Founding of Lima

In 1535, Pizarro founded the city of Lima, which became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Lima served as the administrative and political center of Spanish colonial rule in South America.

Death

Francisco Pizarro was assassinated on June 26, 1541, by a group of rival conquistadors led by Diego de Almagro II, the son of his former partner and later adversary, Diego de Almagro.

Legacy

Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire had a profound impact on the history of South America. His actions led to the establishment of Spanish colonial rule in the region and the eventual integration of the Inca territories into the Spanish Empire.

Related Pages

• Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire
• Atahualpa
• Lima
• Diego de Almagro
• Viceroyalty of Peru
• Conquistador