There were several nations to colonize the Americas, and each had different ideas on how to complete this task. Some used diplomacy while others gave presents, hoping for gifts of land. Others simply bought property from the native people living on the land. However, all too often battles and treachery were used to gain land and highly coveted natural resources. In the land areas south of modern-day United States, much treachery was preformed because of the lure of gold and other riches. The chiefs of these nations were very generous and kind, and the cruel European men took advantage of them. Both Cortes and Pizarro took advantage of different tribes through treachery and bloodshed.

Both Cortes and Pizarro were born in Spain: the former in the year 1485, the latter in 1475 (Britannica 2002, n.p.). Both of these men were avid adventurers and loved discovering new lands and people. Additionally, education was not very important to these men. Cortes dropped out of the school his parents sent him to because "study was irksome to him, his restless and ambitious temper chafed under restraint" (Hernando Cortes, par. 3). Pizarro never even learned to read to write (Francisco Pizarro, par. 1). They both headed west toward the new world at the ages of 35 (Pizarro) and 19 (Cortes) (Britannica 2002, n.p.). Eventually, their deeds would play a large part in the early shaping of South America and would change how the Europeans perceived the Americas.

After reaching the western world, the men settled down and went on brief expeditions. Cortes became mayor of a small town, and Pizarro accompanied Balboa on the expedition that discovered the Pacific Ocean. Like Cortes, Pizarro also became mayor of a city, Panamá (Hernando Cortes, par. 5; Francisco Pizarro, par. 4). On the commencement of their conquests, both men had barriers to overcome when they attempted to set off. At first, Cortes was given command of a large force by his Commander, Diego Velázquez. Cortes was then able to obtain six additional ships and 300 more soldiers, and this made Velázquez jealous. He tried to appoint someone else to be in charge of the expedition, but Cortes, fearing that this might happen, left silently in the night, which made Velázquez very angry (Britannica 2002, n.p.). Pizarro also had a similar problem, but instead of sneaking off and gaining enemies, he talked with his opposition, the mayor, who shifted his attitude. Pizarro had made a pact with a fellow soldier and a priest, and the priest was able to convince the mayor to look favorably on the expedition (Francisco Pizarro, par. 4). Even after the mayor took away his rights for another expedition, Pizarro still went to get permission from a higher source that could overturn the mayor.

Pizarro and Cortes' fighting styles during their conquests were quite similar. In 1519, Cortes started his campaign against the Aztecs, while Pizarro commenced his military operation against the Incas in 1526 (Britannica 2002, nap.). Both recognized Indian tactics such as decoy and ambush, and use corrective measures to exploit these attacks. Both used horses in their conquest which gave them a large advantage. The rulers of each tribe were victims of their treachery. Cortes took advantage of the misconception by the Indians that he was Quetzaquotal, an Aztec god. After being welcomed warmly because of this misconception, Cortez secretly took Montezuma, the ruler of the Aztec kingdom, hostage and ruled the country through him (Britannica 2002, n.p.). After Cortes had finished getting gold and other riches from the Aztecs, he killed Montezuma. Pizarro, on the other hand, invited the Inca prince Atahuallpa into their camp, and deceitfully captured him and killed all his companions. Although Atahuallpa followed his promise to fill a room with gold and other riches that was 22x17 feet in size, Pizarro killed him (Francisco Pizarro, par. 4). Without a leader, the unorganized and confused Inca army was defeated by the lesser force of the Spaniards.

After the initial conquest was completed, Cortes and Pizarro went on to different things. Pizarro fought for the land and fame that he had just conquered from other jealous Spaniards that wanted to now steal what he had obtained. In 1541, Pizarro was killed by friends of his old ally, fearing for their lives, in Lima, the city of which Pizarro founded ("Conquest of Inca" n.p.). Cortes also had to defend his prizes from his own countrymen. When one such enemy came to take Cortes's command, Cortes defeated Narváez, the enemy general, and enlisted the rest of his troops into his army. He also had to defend himself against his old commander, Velázquez, who was trying to end his command in the political arena. In 1547, after more ill-fated expeditions and false accusations, Cortes died, "old, poor and in debt", a conquistador that had brought much wealth to Spain (Britannica 2002, n.p.).

Works Cited
Bandelier, F. "Hernando Cortés." Catholic Encyclopedia. September 20, 2003. <Hernando Cortés>.
"Cortés, Hernán, Marqués Del Valle De Oaxaca." Britannica 2002 Deluxe Edition CD-ROM. September 20, 2003
Crivelli, Camillus. "Francisco Pizarro." Catholic Encyclopedia. September 23, 2003 <Francisco Pizarro>.
Angelis, Gina De. "Francisco Pizarro and the Conquest of Inca." Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2001.
"Pizarro, Francisco." Britannica 2002 Deluxe Edition CD-ROM. September 20, 2003

A different essay on Cortes and Pizarro. Were they really so different?

After Columbus located the Americas, it was thought that the natives had to be “civilized.” Unfortunately, some of the men sent to civilize the New World were not charm school graduates themselves. Cortes had a problem with authority and he was not very merciful. His contemporary, Pizarro, was responsive to those over him and was merciful to his captives.

The Aztecs had a fable that said one day the banished god Quezelquazal would return from the sunrise as a man with pale skin and a beard. So, imagine how the Aztec’s felt when a fleet of big white boats came over the horizon carrying pale men in beards.

Governor Velasquez had sent Cortes to explore the Yucatan peninsula and make contact with the Aztecs. However Cortes, opportunist that he was, saw the awe that he and his men inspired in the Indians and resolved to conquer the Aztec Empire. So disobeying his governor’s orders, Cortes made an alliance with the Totonac, enemies of the Aztecs and marched toward Tenochtitlán. After placing Montezuma under house arrest, Cortes demanded that the emperor should reject his pagan gods and turn to the Christian faith. This conquest in the name of Christ was a cover up for his fortune-seeking quest.

Velasquez though a little slow on the uptake belatedly realized Cortes’ plan right and sent a force to arrest him. Cortes left the City of Dreams to fight the arrest party. He defeated his countrymen and persuaded them that their best choice was to join him in his get-rich-quick scheme. They returned to the city to support Cortes. The Aztec people were getting annoyed with the foreign rule that was being imposed on them. It did not help improve those feelings when Alvarado, the man Cortes had left in charge, massacred unarmed revelers during a festival. When Montezuma came to pacify to his people, a rain of tomatoes and stones drove him from the balcony. By chance, a stone hit Montezuma and he died in three days. Angry natives drove the Spaniards from the city, and 600 Spaniards died in flight. Six months later Cortes and his Indian allies returned and placed Tenochtitlán under siege. The city was also being ravaged by smallpox. When the Spanish and their allies gain entrance to the city, they went wild. They killed and looted from house to house.

Cortes completely crushed Tenochtitlán, Mexico City now stands in its place. Cortes was a gambler he had taken his chances and earned fame, fortune, and a royal pardon for slighting his governor.

Pizarro discovered the Incas by chance. He had been sent south in search of gold and met a boat that carried silver, gold, precious stones, fine fabrics and, of course, Incas. With three of the Incas as guides and translators, he sailed to their homeland and found a beautiful rich country. Pizarro returned to Spain for royal backing to explore the land, taking some of the gold he had found with him. The King and his court were convinced. Pizarro and his partner Almagro went to Peru with a royal contract to explore for the crown.

When he arrived Pizarro found the country was being torn apart by civil war. The king of the Incas had died before clearly specifying his heir, a bit of a mistake on his part. The despute for the crown graduated to major league sibling rivalry. Pizarro marched in unhindered. Like Cortes, he allied with the enemies of the Incas just in case. Atahuallpa, the older of the two warring brothers, agreed to meet with Pizarro in the city of Cajamarca. Pizarro sent a priest to talk to the monarch. When told that the Spaniard’s book, the Bible, told them what to do and believe Atahuallpa disdainfully threw the book to the ground saying the book was not talking to him. The priest grew angry and signaled the men to attack the unarmed Incas. Atahuallpa was taken prisoner. Pizarro showed mercy to the captured royal, visiting him. Atahuallpa found the Spanish loved gold and offered enough gold to fill his cell for his release. The gold was procured but before Atahuallpa was freed, the news came that his brother had been killed. Pizarro accused Atahuallpa of killing his brother and put him on trial. The court found Atahuallpa guilty and executed him. Just after the new emperor was crowned, the Spanish took complete control of the country. Pizarro returned to Spain with riches and respect.

Cortes and Pizarro were two conquerors, two explorers, two men. Pizarro walked into a country that had no leader and took it for Spain. Cortes had conquest in mind from the beginning. The two of them managed to destroy the two largest Indian empires in the Western Hemisphere, and “civilized” most of South America.

Yet another attempt at the same question. Notice the contrasting information, e.g., how did Cortez die?
Contrast the conquests of Cortes and Pizarro.

Hernando Cortes and Francisco Pizarro are undeniably two of history's greatest military leaders. Each had strong traits, and each had faults, but inside each of them dwelt hearts of stone and sounds minds that allowed them to keep their cool in intense situations. Cortes and Pizarro's fascinating conquests seem almost unfeasible. In the face of extreme odds, they came out victorious, winning startling victories against their foes. While their victories might have been impossible without some of the circumstances surrounding the battles, both were also amazing military leaders. Nevertheless, some striking differences appear between the conquests when you examine their motives and actions during the campaigns.

Hernando Cortes set out in 1519 to conquer the Aztecs. Interestingly, the Aztecs, who lived in Mexico, warred constantly with the surrounding Indians. Hence, one might think that Cortes would encounter difficulty conquering such a war-like tribe. However, it later became apparent that this would work to Cortes' advantage. When he set out, Cortes had eleven ships, 600 men, twenty horses, and ten small cannon. He, upon landing in Mexico, burned his ships, so that his men would not desert. As he worked his way to Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capitol, he conquered the lesser tribes and formed alliances with them; the Aztecs were their enemies too! When he arrived at Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs believed Cortes was one of their Gods, Quetzalcoatl. Taking advantage of this, he ruled them through their king, Montezuma, and cheated them out of a lot of Gold. Unfortunately for Cortes, Spain had sent men to stop him, because they doubted his motives. He took two thirds of his men, defeated the party of Spaniards, and enlisted the survivors' support. He went back to find the Aztecs in revolt, so he retreated, then laid siege to the city with the aid of the other Indian tribes. Cortes then eagerly gave land around Tenochtitlan to Spanish settlers. He also sent back money and slaves as proof of his loyalty to Spain. He helped establish government, and returned to Spain in 1540, an extremely wealthy man. Cortes lived out the rest of his days in Spain.

Cortes' style of warfare stands out in a number of ways. Probably the thing that stands out most was his ability to make alliances with those he had conquered. His fearless heart also was an important factor to his victories. Without burning his ships and disobeying Spain's orders he might not have conquered Mexico. Cortes also must have been an inspiring commander to instill such confidence in his men, and to form alliances with defeated parties. Many people debate whether Cortes came to convert or to conquer. It seems to me that Cortes came trying to convert the people to Catholicism, and many did convert. However, the Aztecs slaughtered the prisoners they took from the surrounding tribes as sacrifices - up to 100,000 sacrificed a year. Cortes warred against the Aztecs because he had formed alliances with these surrounding tribes. There may have been impure motives, and of course Cortes and Spain did profit greatly from the deal, but we have to remember that up to 99% of the fighting force against the Aztecs was not Cortes' men, but was the Indians that had allied with him. These tribes carried out their retaliation on the Aztecs, not Cortes' conquest! This style differs greatly from the style of conquest that Pizarro used.

Francisco Pizarro, Spain's famed conqueror of the Incan Indians, whose empire stretched over most of South America, went on two expeditions to find Indians in the Andes area. On one, everyone but he and thirteen others turned back. The fourteen continued and brought back a few Incas as well as some samples of gold. Convinced of the worthiness of the quest, Spain outfitted Pizarro with 200 soldiers, and sixty-five horses. Most of his men carried swords and spears, but he had in his ranks three crude guns and twenty crossbows. He set sail for Peru in 1931. By June of 1932, he had established a base of operations. From there, he crossed the Andes, a feat in itself. Upon getting across the mountains, he got wind of an army of 32,000 Incas, which waited for him in Peru. Undaunted, he proceeded towards the capitol. Finally, he met with 3000-4000 lightly armed Incas, lead by Atahuallpa, king of the Incas. By charging with his horses, and scaring the Incas with the guns, he defeated them, loosing no men! In fact, no one was injured except Pizarro himself, who was slightly wounded. In addition, Pizarro captured Atahuallpa. He demanded and received enormous ransom for Atahuallpa, yet promptly executed the Inca's king, saying that Atahuallpa had refused to become a Christian. After the death of their king, the Incas' political system fell to chaos, and in November of 1933, Pizarro marched into Cuzco, the capital, and the Incas never regained power. Truly Pizarro did something near impossible. He captured, with only 200 men, an entire empire that contained most of all South America. He never returned to Spain, and later, his own men killed him, saying he hogged too much power in the new colony.

If military strategy and skill were the measure of a man, Francisco Pizarro would certainly rate in the top twenty of all time. His success seems to come from his steel nerve and ruthless, unscrupulous warfare. Also, some of his success must be attributed to fate, because, if at any time the Incas had attacked him with the entire 32,000-man army, he could not have survived. However, he did survive, and his life significantly altered the course of South America's history. However, this mainly benefited him (until he died) and Spain. There was little, if any, motive of pity for the unsaved natives.

In conclusion, while Pizarro and Cortes' conquests are quite similar in many ways, several things distinguish them. While Cortes did conquer an empire and set up Spanish rule, he actually helped the majority of the natives by ridding them of a cruel, oppressive empire. On the other hand, Pizarro, while still an extraordinary leader, acted on pure selfish motives, for himself and his country. He did not keep his word after receiving ransom for the Incan ruler. Pizarro may have received his just reward when his own men assassinated him. In the end, as I Samuel 16:7b says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Quick Quiz:

Fisher, Mark/Richardson, Kristi. "Francisco Pizarro". Carpenoctem. 20 Sept. 2003

Fisher, Mark/Richardson, Kristi. "Hernando Cortes." Carpenoctem. 20 Sept. 2003

Francisco, Michael. "Cortes Speech." Escondido Tutorial Service. 20 Sept. 2003 .

Gibson, Charles. "Cortes, Hernando." The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1997

Lockhart, James. "Pizarro, Francisco." The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1997

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