Hernando Cortes was born in 1485 has accomplished a lot of

things during his time sailing. During the beginning of the 16th century

Spain was an exciting place and the country was in it's own squalling

infancy. Every young man wanted to venture out to discover or

conquer the new world. Cortes was one of those men. In 1511 Cortes

and Diego Velasquez sailed for Cuba and conquered it.

In 1518 Hernando left Cuba to go on his first journey in search

of the land of gold and riches. On November 8, 1519 he led over 500

men into the Aztec territory Yucatan, Mexico in search for gold. After

he landed he started defeating small Indian tribes. After he defeated

the costal Indians he recruited many Indians to side with him against

the Aztecs. When the Aztecs first met him they thought that he was a

representative for a certain white skinned god so they respected him.

But they soon got mad at him when he started to melt down the

Aztecs gold statues and shipping them back to Spain. In 1520 he led

his army to Noche Triste, and defeated an immense Aztec army at

the battle of Otumba. After the battle of Otumba the Aztec empire

was destroyed forever. Later Hernando built Mexico City on the site

of where the great Aztec empire once stood. In 1524 Cortes went to

Honduras to capture and punish Cristobal de Olid for exceeding his

authority. When he returned to Mexico in 1526 Cortes was physically

weak after the Honduran expedition.

After Cortes and his men conquered the Aztec empire the

native Indians that did not join Cortes fought with other Indians and

Spaniards. The fighting destroyed small villages and farms. Soon

Cortes and his men became worried about their own well fare and

ransacked the cities searching for Montezuma's treasure. But most of

the gold and jewels had already been grabbed and given to the king

and pay Cortes's expenses.

In 1535 Cortes sailed with a fleet to the Gulf of California which

was called the Sea of Cortes. They were plagued by storms, mutiny,

hostile Indians, and shipwrecks. But to the disappointment of Cortes

he didn't find any "new lands", "great cities", or any Amazons. Cortes

had spent a fortune and found nothing. Due to the frustration, one of

Cortes's captains named a point on the California peninsula "Cape

Disappointment". But for Cortes there would be no new Mexicos.

Knowing that some of the Indian women might become wives of

the soldiers, Cortes used the occasion to convert the chiefs to

Christianity. He invited the chief to destroy their idols and abandon

the practice of human sacrifice. The chiefs were so anxious to

cooperate with the invaders, they agreed and with the help of

Spanish carpenters erected a large cross and an alter. The Indians

supplied food in large quantities and continued to bring gifts to the

conquerors. In addition to food they brought some cloth, Indian

masks, and golden objects.