INDIAN CONQUISTADOR

S

The Defeat of Tenochtitlan

Tlaxcalteca

Spanish military

Pedro de Alvaro

…along with other blacksoldiers, helped the Spaniardswin victory.

How were such amazing feats possible?

Hernando Cortes

Divine Providence

•The strength of the Spanish military and Tlaxcala support

•The moral and political decaying of the Mexica at the time of the invasion

•Structural weakness against the invaders’ supremacy

•Disease

The Spanish Explorer

• In order for a Spanish Conquistador to be able to participate in exploration, discovery, colonization, and conquest of the Americas, the explorer had to prove his worth as an explorer. This was a very extensive process.

• They were expected to submit royal documents (cartas or relationes)to the king as a proof of merit (probanza de merito).

• Carta: letters• Relationes: accounts

• Black and Native elites also could petition for these positions by representation in the judicial system (as they were also part of the conquests).

Conquistadors of the Americas

Pedro de Alvaro: Chiapas & Guatemala 1519-21

•Pedro de Alvarado

•Hernando Cortes

•Pedro Gonzalez Najera

• Jorge de Alvarado

•other Indigenous soldiers

Hernan Cortes: Mexico & Honduras 1518-22