Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Inca Empire.

He was born in Trujillo, Spain, to a poor family. His father was a colonel named Gonzalo Pizarro. His mother was Francisca González. Pizarro was born around 1475, though the exact date is uncertain. He grew up illiterate, meaning he could not read or write. He sought fortune and adventure in the New World.

Pizarro's early career involved several expeditions in the Americas. In 1509, he sailed to the Gulf of Urabá with Alonso de Ojeda. He later accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa across the Isthmus of Panama. This crossing allowed them to become the first Europeans to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. Pizarro later served as the mayor and magistrate of Panama City from 1519 to 1523. During this time, he became a close associate of the governor, Pedro Arias Dávila. He even helped arrest Balboa, who was later beheaded in 1519.

In the 1520s, Pizarro began planning to find the gold-rich territory of Peru. He heard stories about a land called Virú from the explorer Pascual de Andagoya. Pizarro formed a partnership called the Empresa del Levante. He worked with a priest, Hernando de Luque, and a soldier, Diego de Almagro. They agreed to divide the conquered empire equally among themselves. Pizarro would command the men, Almagro would provide supplies, and Luque would manage the finances.

The first expedition in 1524 was a failure. Pizarro took about 80 men and four horses to explore the coast. They faced bad weather and a lack of food. They also had skirmishes with local people. One such fight was the Battle of Punta Quemada. The expedition only reached as far as Colombia before returning to Panama.

The second expedition in 1526 brought more significant discoveries. Pizarro's pilot, Bartolomé Ruiz, captured a balsa raft from the Tumbes region. This raft contained textiles, ceramics, and pieces of gold, silver, and emeralds. These findings proved that the land to the south was very wealthy. During this trip, Pizarro also saw llamas, which he called "little camels." However, the expedition faced many difficulties. At one point, Pizarro and only 13 men stayed behind on Isla de Gallo. These men became known as "The Famous Thirteen."

In 1529, the Spanish crown gave Pizarro permission to lead a formal campaign. His third expedition was successful and led to the fall of the Inca Empire. In November 1532, Pizarro captured the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, at the Battle of Cajamarca.

Atahualpa offered to fill a room with gold as a ransom for his release. Despite this, Pizarro charged the emperor with crimes and executed him in July 1533. Pizarro then entered the Inca capital of Cuzco to complete the conquest.

Pizarro's actions established Spanish rule in much of South America. In January 1535, he founded the city of Lima.

His leadership, however, was marked by political power struggles. These conflicts eventually led to his assassination in 1541. Today, his legacy is preserved through various monuments. You can find his tomb in the Lima Cathedral.

Statues of him also stand in Lima and Trujillo.