Spanish Conquest of the New World

This paper is a brief examination of the Spanish conquest of the New World. Since the initial discovery of the Americas by a Spanish-financed expedition led by Christopher Columbus, the New World exerted a fascination for Spain, who saw this unexplored territory as the potential source of great wealth and power. More than any other European encroachment, the Spanish conquest of the Americas represents domination, cruelty, and subjugation on a massive scale. The conquisdatores, starting with the first five men to hold this title, saw their role as one of justified mastery over the native population. Their legacy continues to echo throughout the Western hemisphere.

The Spanish conquest of the New World began with an apparently minor act, when the Spanish court commissioned an Italian captain to find a western route to the riches of the Indies. In 1492, Christopher Columbus, financed with Spanish money, discovered what turned out to be a completely unknown new land, and the riches and power that it introduced enabled Spain to become one of the three most important European influences in the development and dominance of the New World.

During the sixteenth century, five Spanish conquistadores followed Columbus to the New World, exploring it and claiming it for Spain, establishing Spanish domination throughout most of what came to be known as Mexico, South and Central America, and Cuba. These men - Hernan Cortes, Francisco Pizarro, Juan Ponce de Leon, Hernando de Soto, a

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ecord of the conquest of Mexico provides a remarkably balanced account, quotes Cortes as remarking, "It seems to me that the Indians are terrified at the horses and may think that they and the cannon alone make war on them" (61). Caciques gave Cortes token of goodwill, including 20 women. Among these was Malinche, who came to be christened Dona Marina and who acted as guide, translator, and Cortes' mistress for the rest of the journey inland. Cortes moved north and founded the city that would become Veracruz, burning his ships to avoid desertion. He then marched to Tenochtitlan, where Montezuma first welcomed him. The Spaniards took the ruler hostage, which created an uprising, during which Montezuma was killed. By 1523, Cortes had been named governor of New Spain, and the Aztecs had been reduced to the lowest class in a new Spanish society. He had declared his independence from Velasquez and paid allegiance only to the king in Spain, Charles I, better known as Charles V, Holy Roman emperor. The other major New World conquest by the Spanish was by Francisco Pizarro, whose perfect timing allowed him to take over the Incans empire in Peru just at the point at which civil war had weakened the great city. He landed in 1532

Category: History - S