Hernan Cortes: The Conqueror Of The New World

The conqueror of the Aztecs, murder of an empire, and a kidnapper, all of these can be used to describe Hernán Cortés. Cortes 's early life steered his choices and future. The “New World” hardened and changed him. These changes helped him conquer his enemies. His achievements and legacy changed the world for the future. Cortés’s early life was what molded him for the future. He was born to an upper class family and was born around 1485 in Medellín, Spain. He was somewhat infirm as a child, but was his family’s only heir. When Cortés was fourteen his parents sent him to the University of Salamanca to study law. However he was miserable at the school and to restive to follow the rules. While he was at the school, he did learn a some Latin, and became good at writing. After two years he returned home due to flunking his course. Although he wasn 't happy at his home either. As Cortés heard tales of the

So Cortés joined an expedition to the “New World”, but in the end never made it to the ship. He never made it to the ship due to the fact he was involved in an affair with a local girl. One night he was climbing a wall to get to her apartment, and the wall crumbled underneath him. He crashed down, buried under the rubble, and was stuck in bed until after his ship had departed. Finally, in 1504, Cortés boarded a ship commanded by Alonso Quintero, departing for the west. Quintero may have had some influence on Cortés. Due to Quintero trying to sneak away and secure the “market” for himself because of his ambitions. Though not successful, he may have rubbed off on Cortés. In Hispaniola Cortes went to the house of the Governor, who he knew from Spain. The Governor was gone, and the secretary assured him that he would be able to get a land grant. "But I came to get gold," he replied, "not to till the soil, like a peasant." Though when the Governor came back Cortés was convinced to take a piece of land for a