Online Encyclopedia

PEDRO DE ALVARADO (1495-1541)

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Originally appearing in Volume V01, Page 774 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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PEDRO DE

ALVARADO (1495-1541)  , one of the
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Spanish leaders in the
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discovery and
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conquest of
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America, was born at Badajoz about 1495 . He held a command in the expedition sent from Cuba against
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Yucatan in the spring of 1518, and returned in a few months, bearing reports of the
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wealth and splendour of Montezuma's
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empire . In
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February 1519 he accompanied Hernando Cortes in the expedition for the conquest of Mexico, being appointed to the command of one of the eleven vessels of the
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fleet . He acted as Cortes's
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principal officer, and on the first occupation of the city of Mexico was
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left there in charge . When the Spaniards had temporarily to retire before the Mexican uprising, Alvarado led the
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rear-guard (1st of
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July 1520), and the
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Salto de Alvarado—a long leap with the use. of his spear, by which he saved his life—became famous . He was engaged (1523-24) in the conquest of Guatemala, of which he was subsequently appointed governor by Charles V . In 1534 he attempted to bring the province of
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Quito under his power, but had to content himself with the exaction of a pecuniary indemnity for the expenses of the expedition . During a visit to Spain, three years later, he had the governorship of
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Honduras conferred upon him in addition to that of Guatemala . He died in Guatemala in 1541 .

End of Article: PEDRO DE ALVARADO (1495-1541)
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