History of the Conquistador
| The name “Conquistador” means conqueror in both Portuguese and Spanish languages. This term is popularly used for referring to Spanish adventurers, soldiers and explorers who brought a large part of America under the Spanish control between 15th and 19th century when Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. At that time, the country was called by the explorers as the New World. |
Spain became richer and richer as wealth flowed like water from the newly found Americas. The ruthless Conquistadors were hated by the people for cruelty, greed as well as barbarity. However, the audacity and courage with which they brought the major empires under their control was unbelievable.
While Pedro de Alvarado and Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire, Francisco Pizarro was successful in conquering the Incan Empire.
The Conquistadores were not the officially organized military forces. They entered into warfare more on their own accord and had to organize horses, material supplies and weapons on their own. The rapid Spanish conquest and subsequent formation of colonies in the New World resulted in many civilians dying out of various diseases like measles, chicken pox and small pox for which they did not have any natural defenses. People died of illness more than enemy attacks.
A large number of people expired due to smallpox by the time the Spanish conquistadores invaded the Incan empire. The folk healers of those times tried their best to relieve the pain faced by the people but were not very successful. Around 1540, when the Conquistadors invaded what is called as New Mexico today, complaints of new diseases cropping up and leading to high fatality rates were on the rise.
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