History of Conquistador

Early Portuguese Period

In the early days, Portugal was busy exploring and conquering new lands. It all started when Infante Dom Henry the Navigator, son of King Joao I, decided to sponsor exploration trips. In 1415, Portugal took over Ceuta, its first colony outside of Europe.

During the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed along the African coast. They set up trading posts to get things like guns, spices, and gold. They even started trading slaves, which made them a lot of money. This slave trade helped Portugal grow, and they became a big player in Europe.

Even before the Spanish started exploring the Americas, people in Europe already saw dark-skinned people as slaves. This idea stuck with the Spanish when they started exploring the Americas. Many of their expeditions aimed to capture slaves.

Birth of the Spanish Kingdom

In 1479 after his dad died, Ferdinand II of Aragon married Isabella of Castile. This marriage brought together two big kingdoms and created Spain. Isabella was the one who supported Columbus’s first trip to the Americas.

Before this marriage the Iberian Peninsula was split into different kingdoms. There was Portugal, Aragon, Navarre, Castile, and Granada, all with their own rulers. There was a long fight between Christians and Muslims over control of the peninsula, which lasted for centuries. The Christians eventually pushed the Muslims back to Granada, their last stronghold in Spain.

When Ferdinand and Isabella got married, they ruled both kingdoms together. They were called the “Catholic Monarchs” because they wanted everyone to be Catholic. They managed to take over Granada, defeat the Muslim minority, and forced Jews and non-Christians to become Christians.

Treaties

In 1492 Spain discovered the Americas and Portugal wanted to make sure they got their share of the new lands. So, they signed a treaty called the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. This treaty divided the world between Spain and Portugal. Spain got the lands west of a certain line and Portugal got the lands to the east.

The treaty was important because it helped settle disputes between Spain and Portugal over who owned what. Later on when Spain found a route to the Indies from the west Portugal and Spain signed another treaty called the Treaty of Zaragoza.

Conquistador: Conquistador was a Spanish soldier and explorer who played an important role in the exploration and conquest of the Americas during the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries. These adventurers were instrumental in the colonization of vast territories in the Americas, often seeking wealth, power, and new opportunities. They were known for their bravery, military prowess, and ambition, shaping the course of history through their expeditions and encounters with indigenous peoples.

in this article, we will look into the definition, history, facts, and some famous conquistadors. Let’s start.