Conquistadores

More Cusco Music this time it's of Conquistadores.. from Spain.

Cusco – Ancient Journeys – 02 – Conquistadores.wav

Conquistador (meaning "Conqueror" in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas and Asia Pacific under Spanish colonial rule between the 15th and 17th centuries, starting with the 1492 settlement established in modern-day Cuba by Christopher Columbus

Background

The leaders of Spanish expeditions to the New World called themselves conquistadores, a name expressing the similarity to the recently accomplished reconquista, the Christian crusades to conquer or (re)conquer the Iberian peninsula from the Muslim Moors (711-1492)

They also evoked the name of Santiago Matamoros ("St James the Moor-killer") before going into battle against the pagan Native population of the Americas, who were considered rightless as long as not converted to Catholicism, so their lands were annexed as belonging to Christendom with papal blessing, the only rival claim to be taken seriously was that of the Portuguese, settled after papal arbitration in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494.

Many conquistadores were poor, including some nobles (hidalgos) seeking a fortune in the West Indies, since there were limited prospects in Europe, the Crusades having ended. The honor rules for nobility banned them from manual work. Many were also fleeing the religious repression caused by the Spanish Inquisition.

Sorry I couldn't find very good photos to represent this era, I did my best 🙂

with Love,
Eve