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Hernando Pizarro

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Hernando Pizarro y de Vargas was a Spanish conquistador during the 16th century. He was a key member of the Pizarro family. His brothers were Francisco, Juan, and Gonzalo Pizarro. Together, they played a major role in the conquest of the Inca Empire. This empire was located in what we now call Peru. Hernando was unique among his brothers. He was born in wedlock and received a formal education. This background helped him gain influence within the Spanish court.

In 1530, Hernando joined his half-brother Francisco on an expedition to the New World. He traveled to Peru to help with the conquest of the Inca Empire. During this time, he observed the impressive engineering of the region. In a letter written in November 1533, he described the landscape to the royal audience of Santo Domingo. He noted that the mountain roads were beautiful and paved. He also observed many bridges made of stone or wood. He specifically mentioned seeing a network of bridges over a very large, powerful river.

Hernando served important roles in connecting the New World to Spain. In 1533, he was sent back to Spain to deliver the "royal fifth." This was a portion of wealth collected for the Emperor. The items included many beautiful articles from the ransom of Atahuallpa. Hernando arrived in Seville on January 9, 1534. He then met with Emperor Charles to recount the family's adventures. During this meeting, the Emperor granted more land to the Pizarro group. He also gave grants to their partner, Diego de Almagro.

After his trip to Spain, Hernando returned to Peru to help rule. He and his half-brothers, Juan and Gonzalo, governed the Inca capital of Cuzco. Hernando ruled with an iron fist. He helped suppress various Inca uprisings led by Manco Inca. However, internal conflict arose among the Spaniards. Diego de Almagro felt he had not received enough credit for discovering Peru. In 1537, Almagro seized Cuzco and captured both Hernando and Juan.

Conflict between the Pizarro brothers and Almagro led to significant violence. After negotiations with Francisco, Hernando was released from captivity. In 1538, Hernando and Gonzalo returned to Peru with an army. They fought the Battle of Las Salinas to reclaim control. The Pizarros won a decisive victory and captured Almagro. Almagro was executed later that year. This infighting caused great disorder and serious consequences in the Spanish court.

Hernando attempted to use his royal contacts to fix the family's reputation. He returned to Spain in 1539 to lobby for the Pizarros. Despite his efforts and use of bribery, the Spanish court viewed the brothers as treacherous. As a result, Hernando was imprisoned for twenty years. He was held in the Castle of La Mota from June 1541 until May 1561. After his release, he lived in his palace in Trujillo until his death in 1578.

Hernando's personal life also linked the Spanish and Inca worlds. In 1552, he married his 17-year-old niece, Francisca Pizarro Yupanqui. Francisca was the daughter of Francisco Pizarro and Inés Yupanqui. Although she was born out of wedlock, an Imperial Decree legitimized her. The couple had five children together. Their son, Francisco Pizarro y Pizarro, married twice and had offspring. This meant the Pizarro family line survived Hernando's death, even though the male line eventually became extinct.

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