Who were the Conquistadores?

Question

thanks!

Answer 1

They were the Spanish soldiers who went to the Americas to steal gold, convert the natives, grab land, and get slaves to support them with menial labor. They considered themselves righteous for their aid to their king and their religion..

Answer 2

Crack troops employed by Spain for the express purpose of conquering foreign nations, deposing native rulers, setting up slavery, looting native treasuries, and being the military arm of the Catholic Church.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the popes in Rome took the existing maps of the world and carved it up for the existing colonial powers of the time--Spain and Portugal. The divisionary lines were called demarcations. Within the lines of demarcations, Spain and Portugal were authorized to exploit exclusively by any means in return for spreading Catholicism! War, murder, slavery, torture, Inquisition, it was all legal, as long as the Catholic church prospered!

Pope Alexander VI set the first line of demarcation in 1493. In 1506, Pope Julius II sanctioned changes to the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed by Spain and Portugal in 1494, which altered the line of demarcation a bit. Pope Clement VII sanctioned the Treaty of Saragossa in 1529 which gave Portugal the exclusive right to Japan, China, and Africa. The Portugeuese later interpreted the word "right" to mean "ownership" which set up a great deal of wrangling between Portugal and Spain. however, in all of these cases, the main troops used in these invasions and conquests were Conquistadores.

The Conquistadores were primarily young men from the common folk who were driven by greed and a desire for personal glory. Their acts were, of course, sanctioned by the Roman Catholic church, so nothing they did (in their minds) was wrong. What they stole they could keep, or could use as bribes to rise in rank and prestige, which fueled further atrocities. The Conquistadores were a self-perpetuating war machine with little equal in history.

For a very good description of how the Conquistadores worked, read "The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico", by Bernal Diaz del Castillo. This is a true, nonfiction, firsthand account of a Conquistadore and his actions.

I hope that answers your questions.

Answer 3

Spanish conquerers, which is actually the English translation of conquistador. Hernan Cortez and his men, among other armies. They took over the Mayan, Aztecs and Incas because of their technological advantage, having guns and cannons vs. arrows and spears. Also had horses, but a more major factor was European disease that the Conquistadors had an immunity to, but the natives of modern day Mexico, central and south America, and the Caribbean had never been exposed to such diseases.

Answer 4

All the replies starting with 'conquering other nations' are wrong!

The original Conquistadores were Spanish or Portuguese leaders of the 'Reconquista', the crusade - Yes, it was an official crusade, with religious blessing - to militarily take Spain & Portugal back from the Muslims, who had conquered it in 711.  This land was being 'reconquered' for Catholicism.

The movement started from Asturias, in northern Spain, where the Muslims met their first defeat.  It ended with the conquest of the city-state of Grenada, in 1492.

Later efforts of the Conquistadores extended to North America, where they conquered land for - among other goals - spreading Christianity.

Answer 5

They were the Spanish explorers that came from Spain to the New World - actually they ended up in South America and Central America & the Carribbean & Mexico...most were looking for glory & gold.  They were portrayed as being very adventurous and exciting, when in truth most were greedy and vicious and executed manny of the native people they encountered!