Have you ever heard about the Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca, who survived eight years wandering from Florida to Texas? Find his story and more in this book!

In the early 16th century, Spanish adventurers swarmed over the islands of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Portuguese explorers and merchants pushed into the Indian Ocean and beyond to the Spice Islands of the South Pacific. The names of the leaders of these overseas conquests are well known: Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, Hernando de Soto, Afonso de Albuquerque, and Ferdinand Magellan. What this book explores is the details of their incredible lives in service of their monarchs and personal wealth.

Conquistadors set about to acquire gold, land, and monopolies in lucrative trade. In doing so, they systematically destroyed indigenous civilizations wherever they encountered them. This book explores the negative aspects of early European exploration.

When a local population had been pacified, some conquistadors attempted to dispense with competition among their own men. Read about how one of Francisco Pizarro's lieutenants rose up against him soon after conquering Peru.

This book presents the conquistadors in a new light. This introductory guide has been written in a neutral tone, presenting the facts as they are.

In this book, you will discover the following:

• How the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean was used as a jumping-off point for Spanish expeditions;
• The details of many failed and few successful Spanish expeditions to settle the lands around the Caribbean;
• How the Portuguese came to dominate Brazil;
• Why the Portuguese dominated trade in the East;
• How Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs and defeated his Spanish rival for control of Mexico;
• Why Pizzaro met an untimely death after conquering the Incas;
• And so much more!