History of Oceania

Why was Hernan Cortes sent to the New world?

Hernán Cortés was actually not sent to the New World, he arrived there on his own accord. Cortes was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. He was not given a mission by the Spanish crown to travel to the New World, rather, he was a soldier who had traveled to Hispaniola at the age of 19 and had also participated in the conquest of Cuba under Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar.

It was during his time in Cuba that Cortes learned about the existence of the Aztec Empire and decided to organize his own expedition to conquer it. He obtained financial backing from other conquistadors and set sail from Cuba in 1519 with a small force of men and ships.