Who Was Hernan Cortes?
Hernan Cortes' real name was actually Hernando Cortes Pizzaro. Hernan Cortes was born in 1485 in Medellin, in western Spain. Cortes lived in a fairly upper class family but was not rich and was his parent's only son. When Cortes was 14 he went to the University of Slamanca and studied law. However Cortes was not happy with this path and after 2 years and without success he turned and started to look for wealth in the Americas. He was offered an opportunity to go on an expedition to the America's with Nocolas de Ovando, but he was not able to go after he injured himself running away from a married woman's house during an affair.
Cortes' Journey to Tenochtitlan
Mexico had been newly discovered and Cortes was eager to explore and quench his thirst for gold. At about the age of about 34, Hernan Cortes was sponsored by the governor of Cuba, Diego de Velazquez, to set out on his journey, but soon the governor changed his mind and Cortes eagerly set out without permission on February 1519 (Aztec-History.com, 2006-2013). He took with him approximately 500 soldiers for the fight and 11 ships. Hernan Cortes sailed for Mexico and landed on the coast at Yucatan in April 1519. Cortes named the landing spot where he arrived Vera Cruz. Hernan Cortes had ignored Velasquez' authority and directed himself under King Charles V himself (Aztec-History.com, 2006-2013).
Cortes found natives called the Tobasco natives and attacked them, but they quickly surrendered. Cortes took a native woman named Dona Maria or Malinche as an interpreter as she knew both Nahuatl and Mayan. Malinche became very useful to Cortes in communicating with the Aztecs. On his journey Cortes came across the Totanacs and Tlaxcalans who were both against the mighty Aztecs and their rule. After small battles with the groups they found an alliance together, the Tlaxcalans and Totanacs ceasing their opportunity to overcome the feared Aztecs (New World Encyclopedia, 2013).
Cortes found natives called the Tobasco natives and attacked them, but they quickly surrendered. Cortes took a native woman named Dona Maria or Malinche as an interpreter as she knew both Nahuatl and Mayan. Malinche became very useful to Cortes in communicating with the Aztecs. On his journey Cortes came across the Totanacs and Tlaxcalans who were both against the mighty Aztecs and their rule. After small battles with the groups they found an alliance together, the Tlaxcalans and Totanacs ceasing their opportunity to overcome the feared Aztecs (New World Encyclopedia, 2013).