Spanish Conquistador - Pizarro's Expedition 1532

When Columbus arrived at Guanahani island on his first trip to the West, little he could imagine the significance of his exploration trip for the history of Europe and, in particular, for the history of Spain.

The recently united Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were already a formidable European power that, under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, projected its influence along the Mediterranean and beyond. Also, the completion of the conquest campaign of the southern remnants of the Moorish kingdom of Granada left a huge army of seasoned veterans with nothing much to do.

The arrival to America, along with the combination of the countrys maritime might, the economic impulse obtained from the unification of the two kingdoms, and the abundance of experienced soldiers, made Spain the first European power that embarked in large scale colonization of the newfound land that turned out to be a vast continent full of richness and resources, but also already existing empires and cultures.

Besides Hernan Cortes conquest of Mexico, the other big and famous expedition was the one that Francisco Pizarro initiated in order to conquer the Inca Empire.

After many preliminary explorations and skirmishes, Pizarro initiated the campaign with 168 men and some indigenous allies. The conquerors appeared in the scene at a delicate moment for the Incas, in the middle of a succession war. Pizarro captured Emperor Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca and kept him hostage to win some leverage during the campaign. Afterward, he would be executed.

Finally, the Spanish managed to conquer a huge extension of the empire and founded the Viceroyalty of Peru. The devastation of the war, along with the unexpected death of millions of indigenous people due to the diseases brought by the Europeans, made it possible to colonize the area in just one generation.

Our bust represents one of those hard men that took the chance and went to America in search of fortune and glory.