Francisco+Pizarro

= Francisco Pizarro = Francisco Pizarro (1478-1541) was a Spanish conquistador who traveled through much of the Pacific coast of America along Peru. He discovered the Incan empire and conquered it brutally and quickly, stealing immense hoards of gold, silver, and other treasures. Pizarro was born in the town of Trujillo, in modern day Extremadura, Spain. He was an out-of-wedlock(parents were not legally married to each other) son of Gonzalo Pizarro Rodríguez de Aguilar who, as colonel of infantry, served in the Italian campaigns under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. His mother was Francisca González Mateos, daughter of Juan Mateos, of the family called Los Roperos, and wife María Alonso, labradores pecheros from Trujillo. His mother married late in life and had a son Francisco Martín de Alcántara, married to Inés Muñoz, who from the beginning was at the conquest of Peru, where he then lived, always at his brother's side, who held him always as one of his most trusted men. Through his father, Francisco was second cousin once removed to Hernán Cortés, the famed conquistador of the Aztec Empire. Pizarro was assasinated in 1541.

Pizarro Explored mostly along the West coast of South America. Sailing from Panama Pizarro set out on three expeditons. During the first Pizarro mostly explored the coast of Peru discoving places like Puerto deseado (desired port), Puerto del hambre (port of hunger), and Puerto quemado (burned port) which the Spanish named during their expeditions. But was eventually foreced to turn back due to bad weather, food shortages and small skirmishes with native tribes. On Pizarro's second expedition he sailed the Columbian coast and ended up reaching Atacames in the Ecuadorian coast. Here they found a very large native population recently brought under Inca rule. Unfortunately for the conquistadors, the warlike spirit of the people they had just encountered seemed so defiant and dangerous in numbers that the Spanish decided not to enter the land. Ships were sent back to retrieve men and supplies for the contiuation of the expedition. The goenor of Panama instead ordered ships to be sent out to take Pizarro home. When the ships arrived, Pizarro drew a line in the sand, saying: //"There lies Peru with its riches; Here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian."// Only thirteen men decided to stay with Pizarro while the rest went back to Panama. After months exploring, Pizarro and his men reached the Tumbes area where they were greeted by the natives with hospitality and provisions. Eventually ships came to retrieve Pizarro and his men who returned to Panama to make ready for the final expediton, the conquest of Peru. With the permision of Queen Isabel in the absence of the King, Pizarro set out on his conquest of Peru (1532). Landing near Ecuador, Pizarro cut and conqourd his way down to Cusco. After taking Cusco the that sealed the Conquest of Peru in 1533.

In his begining expeditions Pizarro was friendly to the people and interested in them. At the end of the Conquest of Peru, Pizarro had decimated the Inca Empire and destroyed their civilization.

At first Pizarro had a positive role, learning about and exploring the South Americas. He later became the destroyer of the Inca Empire but brought fame and fortume to Spain. Pizarro was a mixture of good and bad in his historic role. He expanded one civiliztion but destroyed another.