conquistador

Everyday

A Spanish (or Portuguese) soldier and explorer who invaded and conquered lands in the Americas after Columbus, such as Hernán Cortés (who conquered the Aztec Empire) and Francisco Pizarro (the Inca Empire). tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons conquistadors are studied with the Aztecs, Maya and Incas. They had guns, horses and steel, and brought diseases like smallpox that killed millions of Native people. They searched for gold (stories of El Dorado). Today many historians stress the suffering they caused, as well as their journeys. The word is Spanish for «conqueror».

Examples

• The conquistador Hernán Cortés reached the Aztec capital. tree →
• Conquistadors searched for gold in South America. tree →
• Diseases brought by the conquistadors killed many Native people. tree →
• Pizarro was the conquistador who conquered the Incas. tree →
• The conquistadors wore metal helmets and armour. tree →
• The museum shows the Aztec side of the story, not only the conquistadors'. tree →

Note

Spanish word; say «kon-KEES-tuh-dor». Plural: conquistadors (English) or conquistadores (Spanish). Usually refers to the Spanish in the Americas.