Pizarro, Francisco

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

pe-zar'ro, Francisco (1471-1541), a Spanish soldier, known in history as the discoverer and conqueror of Peru. He was born in the province of Estremadura, Spain. He died at Lima, Peru, June 26, 1541. His father was a colonel of infantry. Like many other young gallants, he was stirred up by stories of the New World, and found his adventurous way across the Atlantic. He accompanied Balboa's expedition of 1513 which resulted in the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. Subsequently he became a cattle farmer at Panama. Here he became acquainted with a priest, named Hernando, and a soldier of fortune by the name of Almagro. Together they fitted out an expedition for the exploration of the Pacific coast. They had heard rumors of a land of wealth lying farther south. In the course of their explorations, which extended over a period of two years, they became convinced that Peru was a land of immense wealth. Their own means being too slender to bring together an army, Pizarro set out for Spain in the spring of 1528. In the following year he was granted the desired permission to conquer the Peruvian region and was invested with the title of viceroy of a territory extending for 200 leagues along the coast. In 1531 he was able to leave Panama with 35,180 men and twenty-seven horses. He effected a landing on the coast of Peru and proceeded to fortify himself. In 1532, taking advantage of internal dissensions, Pizarro climbed the mountains and advanced inland. He became the pretended friend of the Indian chief, or Inca, Atahualpa (a-ta-wal'pa), yet took him prisoner. For a ransom of $8,000,000 in gold, quickly brought together by his frantic followers, the Inca was set at liberty. Later, in alarm real or pretended lest a conspiracy had arisen for the extermination of his small force, Pizarro ordered Atahualpa to be put to death. His son Manco was set on the throne with many professions of Spanish respect, but was compelled to act the part of a puppet. In 1535 Pizarro founded Lima and set up a government there. A quarrel broke out with his former partner and present subordinate, Almagro, who had in the interval effected the conquest of Chile. In the civil war that ensued the latter was taken prisoner and executed as a traitor. His followers retaliated by the assassination of Pizarro in his governor's palace at Lima, June 26, 1541. In his Conquest of Peru Prescott represents Pizarro as a cruel, bloodthirsty, and unprincipled man of great daring. Later writers are disposed to grant him credit for statesmanship and integrity of purpose, asserting that he had a laudable ambition to extend the dominion of Spain and the influence of the Catholic Church by the founding of an additional Spanish empire in the New World. His skeleton is shown in a glass case in the adobe cathedral of Lima. See Incas ; Peru ; Lima ; Prescott