Born: 1485
Born In: Medellín, Spain
Hernán Cortés
( Spanish Conquistador Who Led an Expedition that Caused the Fall of the Aztec Empire)
Hernán Cortés was a Spanish soldier, better known as the conqueror of Mexico, whose rags-to-riches story inspired numerous Spanish adventurers to explore the New World. His several expeditions brought land, power and wealth to him, thus entitling him as the greatest Spanish conqueror in the Central America. Besides conquering empires and increasing his land share, he is also credited for discovering the peninsula of California. He led the successful and audacious conquest of the great empire of the Aztecs, becoming the governor of the newly formed New Spain, or Mexico City, and enabling the Spanish rule over Mexico and Central America for nearly 300 years. The increasing value of cacao beans in Mexico, which were used as currency, encouraged him to start plantations in Mexico, Haiti, Java, Trinidad and other areas across the Caribbean, thus enabling the Spanish to rule the cocoa industry for several years. For his discoveries and expeditions, he was honored by King Charles I of Spain. However, his later years didn’t prove fruitful due to his differences with the new viceroy of Mexico, which led to his downfall, thereby forcing him to spend most of his time seeking recognition and rewards for his achievements in the Spanish royal court
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