Hernando Cortes

Hernando Cortes is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of Spaniards, Native Americans, and grammarians alike. His exploits in Mexico during the 16th century have earned him a place in history as a conquistador extraordinaire, who just couldn’t settle for any old land, decided to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to see what he could find.

Early Life

Born in 1485, Cortes grew up in the region of Spain known as Extremadura. He was supposed to become a lawyer, but quickly realized that slugging it out in the courtroom was not for him. Instead, he decided to set his sights on the great unknown and seek his fortune in the New World.

Conquering Mexico

In 1519, after several unsuccessful attempts to gain a foothold in Mexico, Cortes finally decided to take matters into his own hands. He assembled a crew of over 500 men, enlisted the help of some Native Americans who really didn’t know what they were getting into, and set sail for Mexico.

Upon landing, Cortes made his presence known and started making friends with various local tribes. However, things quickly turned sour when he realized that these people were not as gullible as he had hoped. So, Cortes did what any sensible explorer would do - he burned his ships, and fully committed to his conquest, declaring that there was no turning back.

The conquest of Mexico did not come without its challenges. Cortes had to fight against multiple uprisings, battle hardened Aztec warriors, and even wrestle with Montezuma (the Aztec ruler) himself. The conquest was clinched when Cortes and his men threw all of the Aztec treasure they could find into a giant pile and burned it in a celebratory fire, something that still amuses treasure hunters to this day.

Legacy

Cortes’s conquest of Mexico created a long-lasting impression on the world, with his feat astounding history books to this day. Some 500 years later, he remains revered for being the battler of entire civilizations, a man whose ambition knew no bounds, and most importantly, for having a mustache that could rival the best in the game. Today, an abundance of mustache wax is named after him.

Overall, Hernando Cortes is a fascinating figure in world history, a conqueror who always managed to live life on the edge - whether that be of the continent, the law, or just plain common sense.