Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. His expedition caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century. He claimed Mexico for Spain.
Cortes was born in 1485 in the village of Medellin, Spain. He chose to pursue a livelihood in the New World. He went to Hispaniola and later to Cuba, where he received a commission and, for a short time, became magistrate of the second Spanish town on the island. He joined an expedition to Cuba led by Diego Velazquez in 1511.
In 1518, Cortes was to command his own expedition to Mexico, but Velazquez cancelled it. Cortes ignored the order. In 1519, Hernan Cortes left Cuba with about 600 men, and set out for the Yucatan region of Mexico. After reaching the land, Cortes executed a successful strategy of allying with some indigenous people against others.
After he overthrew the Aztec Empire, Cortes was awarded the title of Marques del Valle de Oaxaca. Herman Cortes returned to Spain, where he died in 1547.