Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador. He was born in Trujillo, Spain, around 1478. He led the conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru. His actions brought great wealth to Spain but caused enormous suffering to the Inca people.

Early Life

Pizarro grew up poor and never learned to read or write. He traveled to the Americas as a young man. He heard stories of a rich empire in South America. He made several attempts to reach it before succeeding.

Big Achievements

Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1532 with just 168 men. He demanded a room full of gold and silver as ransom. Even after the Incas paid, Pizarro did not release the emperor. He founded the city of Lima, which is now the capital of Peru.

Fun Facts

• Pizarro captured the Inca emperor with fewer than 200 soldiers.
• The ransom paid for Atahualpa was the largest in history.
• Pizarro was related to Hernan Cortes, who conquered the Aztecs.

Did You Know?

The Inca Empire stretched over 2,500 miles along the western coast of South America. It was one of the largest empires in the world. European diseases like smallpox killed many Incas even before Pizarro arrived.