Other editions of book Hernan Cortes: The Life of a Spanish Conquistador

Adventurous explorer or ruthless imperialist? In 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés led a daring expedition to the heart of the Aztec Empire, in what is now central and southern Mexico. Within two years, this highly advanced civilization had fallen to the might of Cortés's Spanish conquerors, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Aztecs. This engaging title explores two cultures in conflict--and the personality of a man driven by both insatiable greed and service to his country.

After establishing himself in Cuba as a fighter, gambler and fortune hunter, Cortes embarks on a expedition to find a mysterious civilization rumoured to be rich with gold. This civilization is the land of the Aztecs. Three years later, with tens of thousands of Aztecs dead at the hands of heavily armed Europeans, Cortes oversees the setting up of a new Spanish colony. The speech bubbles and strip cartoon-style illustrations of the graphic novel create a dynamic format that encourages readers to engage with the characters and get involved in the story. The opening pages provide historical context about the society destroyed by Cortes, and the world of colonialisation he came from. The closing pages describe his fall from grace and ultimate loss of wealth. It features a glossary, index, websites and recommended further reading. It supports Key Stage 2 History: 'A world history study'. It fits into Key Stage 2 History: 'Britain and the wider world in Tudor times'. It helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14, promoting 'positive attitudes to learning', 'knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the world' and 'skills in literacy'.