How Spanish Served as Conquerors for Spanish Empire

The rise of Spanish Empire occurred between the 15th century and the 18th century since the fall of Rome. The Portuguese develop ocean going skills which are immediately copied by the Spanish. These led to the new era of colonization where both Spain and Portugal became the pioneers. The two voyages of discovery that were carried out resulted in the foundation ofthese empires. Where Columbus sailing towards the west came to America in the year 1492, Vasco Da Gama representing Portugal stumbled upon India through his adventure in the year 1498. After Columbus tour of discovery there is the scramble and struggle to gain the most of theresources of the new world (“Fray Gaspar José de Solís”, 2017).

During the first decade in their new world, the Spanish only managed to acquire Santa Domingo. By the year 1515, they managed to subdue the islands of the Caribbean which were through theconquering of Cuba and the founding of the Havana islands. The Aztec Kingdom is conquered in between 1521 who were found along Mexico(“Bartolomé de las Casas”,2017). There followed other kingdoms such as the Inca Kingdom from Peru the campaign against the Maya in Yucatan. Ecuador and Chile were acquired in the 1530s the later followed by Chile which was subduedthan in the 1540s. In the East coast of Argentina around River Plate, It was purchased under the Spanish inch 1540s while Brazil wasdefeated under Portugal(“Bartolomé de las Casas," 2017).

The Spanish empire had the new world with the exception of Brazil which was under the Portuguese. They had technological advantages that enabled them to subdue the Indians overthought the Indians were superior in numbers. Indians did keep dogs as the only domestic animals.They used Dogs to pull Travois and hence moved with light weight goods, they were also nomadic in nature(“Comanche and Karankawa,”2017). Hence, they brought with them domestic animals such as the horses and cattle. The domestic animals that they kept provided speed in the battle, food, and leather. The Spanish also had steel weapons, firearms, and explosives. Therefore, with the possession of the arms and domestic animals, it gave them an added advantage over the Indians both military and psychologically 

In the year 15th century, Hernan Cortez landed Vera Cruz with his men and reached Tenochtitlan and was well received by the Aztec Emperor. Then Cortez soon after he had established the headquarters he came to learn that the Aztec had acquired Vera Cruz and He quickly acquired the Aztec Emperor. He forced Montezuma to surrender and execute the attackers. Later on, Cortezkilled 600 Mexican nobles. As they moved towards the heart of the city, they were constantly attacked by warriors. Hence it made Cortez use Montezuma to conciliate his people but they injuredhim, and he later died of the injuries he acquired. Cortez army was banned,but him with a few others managed to kill the chieftain. But with fewer men left alive, Cortez made his way back to his allies. In the following year, 1521 Cortez besieged the Tenochtitlan. Gautam, the new Aztec Emperor, surrendered to Cortez

In 1523 Francisco Pizzaro joined up with the help of two of his friends they had an agenda. They formed a voyage to explore and conquer theland. The friends were Almagro who was a soldier who provided equipment and vicar of Panama. The second friend was Fernando De Luque who financed the expedition. The first voyage resulted in disaster and suffering whereas the second was better of the first expedition. Pizzaro sent back Almagro back to Panama for Reinforcement. Instead, the governor of Panama declined to send a helping hand hence brought ships to bring back the expedition. Pizzaro together with 13 men joined him in his mission,brought one vessel after his friends persuaded with the Panama Governor.Pizzaro later used the vessel to visit the Peru Coast. He later went to inquire permission from Spain. Thesewas granted in the year 1530 and then sailed to Panama the following year (“Bartolomé de las Casas," 2017).

According to (“Bartolomé de las Casas," 2017) he had three vessels with less than two hundred men with horses that would speed up in the battle. Spend a year subduing the coastal Peru. As he moved towards the city, he met the envoys of the Atahualpa and the Inca empire. The Atahualpa accepted the invitation to visit the Spanish commander. When Atahualpa refused to convert to Christianity and also take a Spanish king as their ruler, Pissarro and his men seized the Incaemperor since the Inca were unarmed. (“Bartolomé de las Casas," 2017) They managed to slaughter 2000 Indians. However later on Inca emperor was given a new Christian name hence Atahualpa was strangled to death. Hence in 1535, he founded the city of kings which is known, Lima. The Spanish displaced the pagan religion with a replacement of Catholic Religion. The Indians were hunters and warriors where the Spanish considered them as idle and forced them to work in the mines. Indians in West Indiespractically became extinct, and they were being replaced by African labor(“ÁlvarNunez Cabeza de Vaca”,2017).

There was also an exploration in Northern America by the Spanish with individuals such as Juan Ponce De Leon who was a governor of Puerto Rico. He was Ruthless as he captured Indian slaves to work in the Spanish estates(“Masthead," 1970). He later attempted to create a colony but was attacked by the Calusa Indians. He was wounded and attacked and died of his injuries. Hernando De Soto was also an explorer who came to explore. Explored from Florida to North Carolina where he met Queen of Congaree Indians who accepted him as an honored guest. He later kidnaps them and acquired pearls as Ransom. Later on,the murders the queen. De Soto died later on near Memphis Tennessee. FranciscoVasquez De Conrad also exploited the areas of Mexico,Texas, and Oklahoma. His men of his voyage were likely to see a Grand Canyon(“Masthead," 1970).

They were served as conquerors of the Spanish emperors since they had atechnological advantage over the communities they subdued. Enabled them to excel in theirquest to conquer lands in the new world.Therefore, the Spanish managed to conquer all the lands except the Brazil one which was under the Portuguese and also managed to spread the religion as they spread Catholic(“Fray Gaspar José de Solís”,2017). Their ownership of steel arms and cattle granted them a real advantage over the Indians since they had food and every resource that would sustain their survival in the areas they explored. 

References

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. (2017). Retrieved 24 February 2017, from http://Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, “Indians of the Rio Grande,” 1528-1536 (BB)

Bartolomé de las Casas. (2017). Retrieved 24 February 2017, from http://Bartolomé de las Casas, “The Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account” (BB)

Comanche and Karankawa. (2017). Retrieved 24 February 2017, from http://Comanche and Karankawa Indian watercolors (BB)

Editorial Board. (2015). Endocrinology , 156 (5), 2C-2C. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/endo.2015.156.issue-5.edboard Masthead. (1970). The Journal Of Organic Chemistry, 35(1), 3A-3A. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jo00826a700

Fray Gaspar José de Solís. (2017). Retrieved 24 February 2017, from http://Fray Gaspar José de Solís, “Diary of a Visit of Inspection of the Texas Missions,” 1767-1768 (BB)