Written by: Jianne
Hernan Cortes (pronounced air-nahn kohr-tez’) was born somewhere around the year 1495, in Medellin, Extremadura, Spain. Despite his father being a poor landowner, he was still given the title Hidalgo, meaning gentleman. Unlike families of noble descent, Hernan’s father, Martin Cortes, had nothing to give Hernan but his pride.
No one thought that Cortes would ever make it past childhood, because he was so sickly. But, and this will happen years from now as well, they were proved wrong. Hernan grew up to be a healthy and strong young man. He was skilled a swordsman which will help him in his future conquests. When he was 14, his parents sent him to Salamaca, the greatest university in Spain. Whether he graduated or not, he never received a degree. But, he was an exceptionally intelligent man. He knew how to read and write not only in Spanish, but in Latin as well. He also got the hang of the complex Spanish legal system.
At the age of 16, Hernan went back home. He grew up to be a rebellious man. His parents wanted him out. So for the next couple of years, Hernan wandered the streets of Spain often impecunious and famished. During this time, a young Spanish man would have two paths to choose from. To go to Italy and join the Spanish war that is going on there. Or go to the New World. For Cortes, his choice was obvious. To go to the new world. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or not in Spain, you’ll always be one of the wealthiest in the Americas. It took many delayed and canceled trips until Hernan finally decided he would go.
When Hernan got to Hispaniola, he became a farmer and a notary to a town council. He was pretty content with his life for about six years, which was his original plan. To just stay there for six years. In the year 1511, he sailed with Diego Velasquez to conquer Cuba. Diego was the governor, and Cortes was elected the clerk to the treasurer. In that position, Hernan was given some land, and a repartimiento (Native Indian Slaves). He started to begin feeling the power.
Hernan was elected mayor of Santiago twice. He was a great leader/lord. When Velasquez found out about an expedition to start colonies in the mainland, Cortes was assigned captain general on a new expedition signed in October 1518. Cortes, being an experienced and talented person, had gathered 6 ships and 300 hundred men, all in less than one month. Velasquez was outraged and jealous, a predictable reaction. He was ready to assign a new captain general, when Cortes, hastily put to sea to raise more men and ships at other Cuban ports.
When Hernan set out to that coast of Yucatan on February 18, 1519, he had 11 ships, 508 soldiers, 100 sailors, and 16 horses. He landed in Tabasco where he stayed for a while to gain some knowledge from the local Indians. They loved and praised him and gave him presents. One of them was 20 women. One of them, Marina, became his mistress and bore him a son named Martin. Then he sailed off and founded Veracruz. On the mainland, Cortes shaped and formed his army. Something no other expedition leader had done. His ultimately extreme move though, was when he mercilessly burned down his ships. A sign that him and his crew will be committed to survival by conquest.
Throughout his time conquering and fighting in Mexico, he conquered many Aztec tribes. He eventually became a superior ruler. His territory stretched from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.Cortes died before he reached Seville. He came back to Spain but his life was maddening. He needed to come back to Spain. In 1540, he was finally given permission. But he passed.
