User:Allen.kong1/Conquistador

Conquest:

The Age of Exploration was hallmarked in 1519, shortly after Europe's discovery of the America's, when Fernando Cortés begins his expedition on the Aztecan Empire. As the Spaniards, motivated by gold, slaves, fame, and Christianization, established relations and war with the Aztecs, the slow progression of conquest, erection of towns, and cultural dominance over the natives brought more Spanish troops and support to modern day Mexico. As trading route over the seas were established by the works of Columbus, Magellan, and Elcano, land support system was established as the trails of Cortés' conquest to the capital.

Early Portuguese Period:

Due to the import of the slave as early as 1441, the kingdom of Portugal was able to establish a number of population of slaves throughout the Iberia due to its slave markets' dominance within Europe. Before the Age of Conquest began, the continental Europe already associated darker skin color with slave-class, attributing to the slaves of African origins. This sentiment traveled with the conquistadors when they began their explorations into the Americas. The predisposition inspired a lot of the entradas to seek slaves as part of the conquest.

Birth of Spanish Kingdom:

The Iberian Peninsula was largely divided before the hallmark of this marriage. Five independent kingdoms: Portugal in the West, Aragon and Navarre in the East, Castile in the large center, and Granada in the south, all had independent sovereignty and conflicting interests. The conflict between Christians and Muslims to control Iberia, which started from North African Muslim's successful launch of attack in 711, lasted from the years 718 to 1492. Christians, fighting for control, successfully pushed the Muslims back to Granada, which was the Muslim's last control of the Iberia.

The marriage between Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabel of Castile caused joint rule of the spouses on the two kingdoms, dubbed "Catholic Kings" by Pope Alexander VI. Together, the Crown Kings saw about the fall of Granada, victory over Muslim minority, and expulsion or force-conversion of Jews and non-Christians to turn Iberia into religious homogeneity.

Financing and Governance:

Aside from the explorations predominated by Spain and Portugal, other parts of Europe also aided in colonization of the New World. King Charles I was documented to receive loans from German bank Welser to help finance the Venezuela expedition for gold. With numerous armed groups aiming to launch explorations well into the Age of Conquest, the Crown became indebted, allowing opportunity for foreign European creditors to finance the explorations.