Pizarro Francisco, Spanish conquistador: biography, interesting facts

The Inca Empire with its way of life and beliefs up tois still a mystery for researchers. The biography of Francisco Pizarro - the man who conquered Peru and initiated the destruction of one of the oldest and most developed civilizations of the New World - is no less important. Learn this detail will help this article.

Origin

Francisco Pizarro was born out of wedlockcommunication son of the Spanish military, who had a high rank captain of the third. Don Gonzalo Pizarro de Aguilar married his cousin Francisca de Vargas and had many children from her. After the death of his wife, he also had several bastards from maids. In this case, the most famous of his offspring, Francisco, who was born long before the entry of Don Gonzalo into marriage, the captain himself never recognized as a son.

The boy who was awaited by the amazingfate, was born after Pizarro Sr. seduced his mother Francisco. After the death of her father, the girl was forced to engage a servant in one of the monasteries of Trujillo. Pregnant Francisco was kicked out of the monastery, but later she was able to marry Juan Casco. In the house of this man, the future great conquistador Francisco Pizarro was born.

early years

At the age of 17, the illiterate Pizarro (Francisco Pizarro Gonzalez), who in the childhood was a swine pig and did not receiveno education, entered the royal military service. It is known that the young man participated in an armed conflict in Italy and resigned when he was about 22 years old. Then Francisco returned to Estramadura and immediately enlisted in the retinue of his countryman Nicholas de Ovando, who was preparing to sail to the West Indies.

The first years in the New World

The beginning of 1502 in Spain was marked by an agiotage caused by rumors about the fabulous wealth that await those who reach the shores of the mysterious "terra incognita" discovered by Columbus.

Pizarro sailed to America under the command of Alonsode Ojeda. On arrival in the town of Uraba, the Spaniards founded a Christian settlement. His captain was appointed Francisco Pizarro, who stayed to live in a new fort with a handful of colonists. They had a hard time, and they experienced both hunger and disease.

Expedition to the Pacific Ocean

In 1513, Francisco Pizarro became a participantmilitary campaign in Panama led by Vasco de Balboa. The future founder of Lima stayed in these parts, and in 1519 became one of the first inhabitants of the new city founded by Pedro Arias de Avila. In Panama, as a colonist, he remained until 1523. During this time, Pissarro was repeatedly elected a member of the city's magistrate, and later his mayor. During his tenure in this post, Francisco even managed to put together a small fortune.

First and second expeditions to Peru

In the years of his residence in Panama, the conquistador FranciscoPizarro often heard from the Indians about an unknown civilization and its large cities located in the south. Being an adventurer in the soul, the mayor of Panama could not stay in one place for a long time, so in 1524, together with comrade Diego de Almagro and Catholic priest Hernando de Luca, he organized an expedition along the Ecuadorian and Colombian coast. Expedition Francisco Pizarro ended in failure, because, after probudzhdav about a year, the Spanish detachment returned to Panama empty-handed. However, failure did not stop the future great conquistador, and a year later he made another attempt. Together with his old comrade Diego de Almagro and Bartolomé Ruiz, they visited Tumbes, and then returned to Panama. Two of Pissarro's men were sent to reconnoitre the territories near Tumbes. They were seized by the Indians and led to their ruler Atahualpa in Kyoto. Thus, the first Spaniards, whom the Incas saw, were Rodrigo Sanchez and Juan Martin. The captives were sacrificed to the god Viracocha, after whom the Incas later began to call all the Spanish "viracocha".

A dozen brave

A double failure caused the Governor of Panama to send a letter to Pizarro. In it, he refused to finance the expedition and ordered the mayor of Panama and his people to return to the city.

According to legend, after reading the letter, don FranciscoPizarro, interesting facts about which can be found in the notes of many of his contemporaries, the colonialists, drew a line in the sand with his sword. Then the great conquistador invited the expedition members who wanted to go with him in search of wealth and glory, cross it and follow it to the south. After these words under the command of Pizarro there were only 12 people, including his old friend Diego de Almagro. It turned out that only this dozen brave men were ready to believe unconditionally in their leader and follow him to glory.

Trip to Spain

Nevertheless, Pizarro had to return to Panama. He tried to persuade the governor to help with the organization of the third expedition, however, he realized that he could easily go to jail. Then Don Francisco sailed to Spain and obtained an audience with Charles Fifth. With great difficulty, he managed to persuade the monarch to give him money for a campaign to conquer the Inca empire.

In 1530, the future founder of the city of Limawent to Panama, taking with him the right amount. His joy was complete. After all, he received the rank of captain-general, patrimonial coat of arms and the right to become the governor of all the lands located further 600 miles south of Panama, provided that these lands become the property of the Spanish crown.

Pizarro believed in his luck and hoped to quickly conquer savages who did not know iron and steel and did not have firearms.

The third expedition

At the very beginning of 1531, Captain-General Pizarrosailed to his victorious expedition to conquer the Incas. From the port of Panama, three small caravels set off on a long journey. Under the command of Don Francisco there were 180 infantrymen, as well as 37 cavalrymen with horses (about two for each person) and 2 small guns. Among the conquistadors were his brothers, faithful associates participating in the second expedition and Catholic missionary Hernando de Luca. The detachment had only 3 arquebuses. Another 20 people had long-range crossbows. The remaining soldiers of Pizarro were armed with spears and swords and clad helmets and cuirasses of steel.

The beginning of the expedition in Peru

Strong headwinds caused Don's caravelsFrancisco take refuge in the bay, which the Spaniards named after St. Matthew. Then Pizarro ordered his detachment to move south along the Pacific coast towards the city of Tumbes. Indian villages that came across their way, the Spaniards were destroyed and burned. At the same time, they were completely delighted, as everywhere they found many gold ornaments.

However, Don Francisco understood that with a handfulsoldiers and almost without firearms he will not be able to conquer the Incas. Therefore, Pizarro sent two of his ships to Panama and Nicaragua, so that their captains hired armed adventurers for the stolen gold.

Discovery of peru

After the departure of two ships from the members of the expeditionit was no longer possible to continue it. Therefore, they decided to wait for reinforcements on the island of Puno, located south of Tumbes. Thus, in 1532, the first military base of the Spanish kingdom appeared in South America, which was named San Miguel de Piura. A few months later, a caravel sailed there, sent to Nicaragua, on which reinforcements of about 100 men arrived.

Captain-General Francisco Pizarro, Discoverieswhom made Spain the richest country of the Middle Ages, was able to continue its aggressive expedition and went to the mainland. But the rumor about the cruelty of the Spaniards has already spread to the border areas of Peru, so the Indians, without hesitation, killed every stranger who fell into their hands. In addition, having learned about the approach of the Spaniards, they began to leave their villages, leaving the conquistadors without provisions.

Peru at the time of the conquest of the Spaniards

The further Pizarro advanced, the more heI found out about the country I was going to conquer for the Spanish Crown. Soon from the captured Indians, it became clear to him that this was a huge state, in which about 10 million inhabitants lived. The area of ​​the empire was 4800 for 800 kilometers. The capital of the country was the city of Cusco, located high in the Andes. He was defended by the Saxo fortress, surrounded by a defensive shaft 10 m high.

As a nation, the Incas were a confederation consisting of several tribes, the most numerous of which were Quechua and Aymara.

Arable land was public property anddivided into 3 parts: for the Sun and its priests, for the supreme ruler of the Inca and for mere mortals. The Peruvians grew mainly maize and potatoes and bred llamas, which were used as pack animals. In addition, the Incas treated silver, copper and gold, and also knew how to make alloys of them.

Inca Defense

In Peru, there were two main roads connecting the northand the south of the country. One was along the coastline in the west, and the second - through the Andes. Troops and runners-runners who were engaged in the delivery of reports for the supreme Inca could quickly move along these roads. In addition, the Indians used smoke signals to communicate. The army of the High Inca numbered about 200 thousand of hardy and strong soldiers. However, their weapons could not stand comparison with the ammunition of the Spaniards. Most of the troops were located in the high-mountain impregnable fortresses.

The political situation in Peru

At the time of the invasion of the Spaniards, led by Francisco Pizarro, there had recently ended a bloody civil strife, greatly weakened the country.

The fact is that the former supreme leader dividedempire into two parts between his two sons - Uaskarom and Atahualpa. Although the advantages were on the side of the first of the young people, Atahualpa set out to seize the capital of the empire of Cusco and take the place of the High Inca. He outwitted Uuscar, pulled together groups of loyal tribes to the city, and arrived at the capital. When the Supreme Inca realized what was happening, it was late and he could not call his troops for help. There was a bloody battle in which Atahualpa won. He ordered the death of his captive brother and took his place. It was at this moment that Francisco Pizarro appeared with his conquistadors in Peru.

Capture of Atahualpa

Learning about the approach of the Spaniards, the Supreme Inca gathered thousands of troops and camped outside the city of Kaksamark.

The unsuspecting Pizarro and his squad,consisting of 110 infantrymen and 67 cavalrymen, they moved forward unimpeded, being surprised that the Indians simply left their settlements without providing any resistance. On November 15, 1532, they reached Kaksarkarka and, having appreciated the forces of the enemy, realized that they could not win in open battle.

Then Don Francisco has a cunning plan. He invited Vrkhovny in the negotiations and, killing his bodyguards, captured Atahalpu. The only wounded in a battle with the Indians was Pizarro himself.

When the Incas learned that their demigod, to whom it was unthinkable to touch even with a finger, they were captured, they fled in horror.

The news of this quickly spread throughout the empire. Many tribes rebelled, and supporters of Uuskar decided to regain power in the country.

Meanwhile, Pizarro demanded of his“Semi-god prisoner” ransom for liberation. The Inca Supreme promised the Spaniard there to fill with gold a room of 35 square meters in gold. m to the height of the raised hand, and give twice the amount of silver. Although he kept his word, the Spaniards still executed Atahualpa by order of Francisco Pizarro. The Conquest of the Incas

The conquistoodors freely entered Cuzco andput there as their vicar-general, the brother of the executed Huascar - Manco. Thus, they "restored justice" and received support from a part of the Inca nobility, and also gained control over a significant part of the South American continent.

Pizarro himself became governor-general of the Inca Empire and annexed its lands to the possessions of Spain.

Struggle for power

Having finished with the Incas, the Spaniards began to find outrelationship with each other. Diego de Almagro accused his old friend Pizarro of the fact that the latter was unfair in the division of treasures. As a result of this conflict in the camp of the Spaniards, a revolt was raised.

In 1537, Pizarro, who was from Spainreinforcements were sent out, in a battle at Las Salinas, defeated a rebellious detachment. As for Diego de Almagro, Don Francisco ordered his execution on behalf of the King of Spain.

Death

In retaliation for the death of their leader, peopleexecuted Diego de Almagro decided to end Pizarro. In June 1541, they broke into the palace of the Great Conquistador and killed the elderly adventurer. Thus, by the will of fate, Pizarro did not die at the hands of the natives, but was stabbed by Spanish soldiers, who, thanks to him, turned from being poor beggars into rich. However, as you know, the appetite comes with eating, and the greed of former associates of don Francisco made them forget all the merits of their old commander.

Historical characteristics of Francisco Pizarro

Compared with other Spanish conquistadorsthe founder of Lima achieved the most significant results in the conquest of the Indians and civilizations of the New World. He managed to conquer the densely populated, vast territories with the smallest number of soldiers. These lands were rich in gold and silver. Over time, they were settled by settlers from Spain, and the Catholic Church forcibly christened the millions of Indians who were previously pagans.

The Spanish kingdom has been fabulously enriched foran account of wealth, which flowed endlessly in her coffers. At the same time, the great conquistador himself was practically unable to take advantage of the treasures he had stolen and relied on honors.

Now you know who Francisco Pizarro is(years of life - ca. 1471 / 1476-1541). He went down in history as a brutal conqueror who enslaved Latin America and helped transform Spain into one of the European superpowers of the time.

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