List of conquistadors in Colombia

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The Spanish Empire
(1500) Crown of-Castile.PNG
The Spanish Empire
(1500)

This is a list of conquistadors who were active in the conquest of terrains that presently belong to Colombia. The nationalities listed refer to the state the conquistador was born into. Granada and Castile are currently part of Spain, but were separate states at the time of birth of the early conquistadors.

Contents

Important conquistadors and explorers were Alonso de Ojeda, who landed first at Colombian soil and founded the first settlement Santa Cruz, [1] Rodrigo de Bastidas, who founded the oldest still remaining city Santa Marta, Pedro de Heredia, who founded the important city of Cartagena in 1533, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who was the leader of the first and main expedition into the Andes (1536–1538), with his brother second in command and many other conquistadors, 80% of whom who didn't survive, [2] [3] and Nikolaus Federmann and Sebastián de Belalcázar who entered the Colombian interior from the northwest and south respectively.

Culture precolombiennes en Colombie.png
Pre-Columbian cultures
Chibchan languages distribution.png
Chibchan Nations
Carchi-Narino culture map.jpg
SW cultures
Pre-Columbian peoples, civilisations and cultures of four language groups; Arawakan , Carib , Chibcha , and the isolated Páez language , existed in Colombia with after the Muisca , the Tairona, Calima, Quimbaya and Zenú as important ones

Conquistadors in Colombia

Exploration & conquest of Colombia
.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}
Alonso de Ojeda (1499-1502 & 1509-10)
Francisco Pizarro (1509-10)
Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1513)
Francisco Pizarro
Martin Fernandez de Enciso
Pedro Arias Davila (1513-1519)
Francisco Pizarro
Diego de Almagro
Sebastian de Belalcazar
Pascual de Andagoya
Francisco Pizarro (1515-1529)
Diego de Almagro
Pascual de Andagoya
Bartolome Ruiz
Jorge Robledo
Pedro de Heredia (1532-1538)
Alonso de Caceres
Nikolaus Federmann (1537-1539)
Georg von Speyer
Miguel Holguin y Figueroa
Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada (1536-1539)
Hernan Perez de Quesada
Martin Galeano
Ortun Velazquez de Velasco
Juan de San Martin
Gonzalo Suarez Rendon
Juan del Junco
Bartolome Camacho Zambrano
Antonio de Lebrija
Lazaro Fonte
Gonzalo Macias
Juan Maldonado
Juan de Cespedes
Hernan Perez de Quesada (1539-1541)
Martin Galeano
Lazaro Fonte
Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada (1569-1572)
Gonzalo Macias
Juan Maldonado
Legend
:
* Leader - minor captain

Notes
:
* >1539 expeditions in Llanos Orientales not shown
* expedition Pedro de Ursua not shown Conquest of Colombia.png
Exploration & conquest of Colombia
Legend:
Leaderminor captain
Notes:
>1539 expeditions in Llanos Orientales not shown
expedition Pedro de Ursúa not shown
A map of exploration routes of
Alonso de Ojeda (1499-1502 & 1509-10)
Francisco Pizarro (1509-10) Viajes de Alonso de Ojeda.PNG
A map of exploration routes of
Alonso de Ojeda (1499–1502 & 1509–10)
  Francisco Pizarro (1509–10)
4th voyage of Christopher Columbus, who touched upon later named after him Colombian, now Panamanian lands where he encountered the Kuna people
(1502-04) Columbus fourth voyage.jpg
4th voyage of Christopher Columbus, who touched upon later named after him Colombian, now Panamanian lands where he encountered the Kuna people
(1502–04)
Map of exploration routes of
Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1513)
Francisco Pizarro
Martin Fernandez de Enciso Balboa Voyage 1513.PNG
Map of exploration routes of
Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1513)
  Francisco Pizarro
  Martín Fernández de Enciso
Map of exploration routes of
Sebastian de Belalcazar (1514-1539)
Jorge Robledo
Gaspar de Rodas
Juan de Ampudia
Baltasar Maldonado Ruta Belalcazar 200.png
Map of exploration routes of
Sebastián de Belalcázar (1514–1539)
  Jorge Robledo
  Gaspar de Rodas
  Juan de Ampudia
  Baltasar Maldonado
Routes of conquest in Colombia with the former Muisca Confederation in the heart of Colombia in orange
by Agustin Codazzi, 1890 AGHRC (1890) - Carta I - Rutas de los conquistadores de Colombia.jpg
Routes of conquest in Colombia with the former Muisca Confederation in the heart of Colombia in orange
by Agustín Codazzi, 1890
Name
leader in bold
NationalityYears
active
Indigenous people encountered
bold is conquered
conquest failed
Year
of
death
ImageNotes
Alonso de Ojeda Castilian 1499–1502
1509–10
Wayuu
Kuna (2)
1515
AlonsoDeOjeda.jpg
[4]
Christopher Columbus Genovese 1502–1504Kuna (1)1506
Christopher Columbus Face.jpg
[note 1]
Francisco Pizarro Extremaduran 1509–10
1513
1515–29
Kuna (2, 3, 4)
Inca
1541
Portrait of Francisco Pizarro.jpg
Martín Fernández de Enciso Castilian 1509–10
1513–17
Kuna (2, 3)1528 [5]
Vasco Núñez de Balboa Extremaduran 1513–19Kuna (3)1519
Balboa.jpg
Pedro Arias Dávila Castilian 1513–19Kuna (3)1531 [1]
Pascual de Andagoya Basque 1515–29Kuna (4), Inca1548 [1]
Diego de Almagro Castilian 1515–29Kuna (4)
Inca
1538
Diego de Almagro.JPG
Bartolomé Ruiz Castilian 1515–29Kuna (4)1532
Los 13 de la Isla del Gallo.jpg
Sebastián de Belalcázar Castilian 1514–39 Paez
Pijao (1)
Sutagao (1)
Muisca
1551 [1] [3]
Jorge Robledo Castilian 1514–46Paez
Pijao (1)
Nutabe
1546
Retrato de Jorge Robledo.jpg
[1] [note 2]
Juan de Ampudia Castilian 1514–41Paez, Pijao (1), Nutabe1541
Pedro de Añasco Castilian 1514–41Paez, Pijao (1) [6]
Baltasar Maldonado Castilian 1534–52 Inca, Paez, Pijao (1), Quimbaya, Pantágora, Muisca , Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá 1552 [7] [8] [9] [10]
Rodrigo de Bastidas Castilian 1524–25 Tairona 1527
Rodrigo de Bastidas.jpg
[1]
Juan de Céspedes Castilian 1525–43Tairona, Chimila (1, 2)
Muisca
Panche (1), Sutagao (1)
1573 or 1576 [2] [3] [11] [12] [13]
Ambrosius Ehinger Bavarian 1529–33Tairona, Wayuu
Chimila (1), Motilon (1), Chitarero (1)
1533 [1]
Pedro de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú 1554
Pedro de Heredia.jpg
[1]
Alonso de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú [1]
Alonso de Cáceres Extremaduran 1532–38Zenú
Georg von Speyer Palatinatian 1535–38Motilon (2)
Chitarero (1)
1540
Musterung-Welser-Armada.png
Nikolaus Federmann Bavarian 1535–39Motilon (2), Chitarero (1)
U'wa, Lache (1)
Muisca
1542 [1] [3]
Miguel Holguín y Figueroa Extremaduran 1535–39Motilon (2), Chitarero (1), U'wa, Lache (1), Muisca1576> [2] [14]
Luis Lanchero Castilian 1533–39
1541–1559
Muzo1562 [15] [16]
Gonzalo Jiménez
de Quesada
Granadian 1536–39
1569–72
Tairona, Chimila (2)
zipa
zaque
Panche
Pijao (2)
1579
Jimenezdequesada.png
[1] [2] [3]
Juan Maldonado Castilian 1536–39
1569–72
Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Pijao (2) [2] [note 3]
Pedro Ruíz Corredor Castilian 1533–1601Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Inca1601+ [2] [17]
Juan de Albarracín Castilian 1536–1539Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
Juan Tafur Castilian 1518–1541Tairona, Chimila (1,2), Muisca, Panche [2] [18]
Martín Yañéz Tafur Castilian 1520–1544Zenú, Kuna, Panche [2] [19]
Antonio Díaz de Cardoso Portuguese 1526–41Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2] [20]
Gonzalo García Zorro Extremaduran 1536–1544Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche1566 [2]
Gonzalo Macías Extremaduran 1536–39
1569–71
Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Pijao (2)1571~ [2] [21]
Hernán Pérez
de Quesada
Granadian 1536–39
1540–42
Tairona, Chimila (2)
Muisca, Panche
Lache (2), Chitarero (3)
Achagua, Guayupe, Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá
1544 [2] [3]
Gonzalo Suárez Rendón Castilian 1536–39Tairona, Chimila (2)
zipa , Panche
zaque
1590 [2] [3] [22]
Juan del Junco Asturian 1536–41Tairona, Chimila (2)
Muisca
15?? [2] [23]
Martín Galeano Extremaduran 1536–39
1540–45
Tairona, Chimila (2)
Muisca, Panche
Muzo
1554~ [2] [3] [24]
Lázaro Fonte Castilian 1536–39
1540–42
Tairona, Chimila (2)
Muisca, Panche
Lache (2), Guayupe
1542 [2] [3]
Juan de Sanct Martín Castilian 1536–39
1540–45
Tairona, Chimila (2)
Muisca, Panche
Guane
Achagua
[2] [3]
Hernán Venegas Carrillo Castilian 1536–47Tairona, Chimila (2), Panche 1583 [2] [25]
Ortún Velázquez de Velasco Castilian 1536–39Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Chitarero (2)1584 [2] [26]
Bartolomé Camacho Zambrano Extremaduran 1536–39Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
Pedro Fernández de Valenzuela Castilian 1536–39Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
640+ conquistadors
~80%
mostly CastilianApril 1536
-
April 1537
Diseases, jaguars, crocodiles, climate,
various indigenous warfare
1536
1537
Jaguars.JPG
[2] [3]
Gaspar de Rodas Extremaduran 1539–81Paez
Pijao
Nutabe
1607
Gaspar de Rodas-Busto-Medellin.JPG
[27]
Juan Maldonado Castilian 1543–72Chitarero (4)1572
Pedro de Ursúa Navarran 1545–61Panche
Muzo
Chitarero (5)
Tairona
1561
Pedro de Ursua.jpg
[note 4]
Juan Taborda Extremaduran 1545–69Nutabe1569 [28]
Juan Freyle Castilian Panche
Muzo
Chitarero (5)
Tairona
[29] [30]

See also

Notes

  1. Although the country Colombia is named after Columbus, he has never seen the present country of Colombia.
    Panama, where he disembarked in 1503, was part of (Gran) Colombia until 1903
  2. Executed by the Governor of New Granada
  3. Not the same as Juan Maldonado, who was only 11 in 1536
  4. Murdered on expedition by some of his men

Related Research Articles

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Miguel Holguín y Figueroa, also written as Miguel Holguín de Figueroa, was a Spanish conquistador. He took part in the expeditions of conquest of the Chitarero, Motilon, U'wa and Lache peoples led by Nikolaus Federmann. Holguín y Figueroa later settled in Tunja, where he protested the rapacious activities of Hernán Pérez de Quesada, governor of Bogotá.

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Juan de Sanct Martín, also known as Juan de San Martín, was a Spanish conquistador. Little is known about De Sanct Martín, apart from a passage in El Carnero (1638) by Juan Rodríguez Freyle and Epítome de la conquista del Nuevo Reino de Granada, a work of uncertain authorship. He took part in the expedition from Santa Marta into the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and founded Cuítiva, Boyacá in 1550. Juan de Sanct Martín headed the left flank of the Spanish troops in the Battle of Tocarema against the Panche on August 20, 1538, while his fellow conquistador Juan de Céspedes commanded the right flank. In this battle, Juan de Sanct Martín killed the cacique of the Panche and was hurt himself. Juan de Sanct Martín had confronted the Panche the year before, when he was sent to the west while De Céspedes went south. Due to the resistance of the bellicose Panche, De Sanct Martín returned to the Spanish camp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ortún Velázquez de Velasco</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martín Galeano</span> Spanish conquistador

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Pedro Fernández de Valenzuela was a Spanish conquistador who took part in the expedition of the Spanish conquest of the Muisca led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada from 1536 to 1538. He was the cousin of Hernán Venegas Carrillo and after his journey in the New World returned to Córdoba. He was buried in the church of the former Hospital San Bartolomé de las Bubas in Córdoba.

Juan (Francisco) de Céspedes Ruiz was a Spanish conquistador who is known as the founder of the town of Pasca, Cundinamarca, in the south of the Bogotá savanna, Colombia. De Céspedes arrived in the Americas in 1521 and participated in the conquest of the Tairona and the foundation of Santa Marta under Rodrigo de Bastidas. From 1542 to 1543 and in 1546 he served as mayor of Bogotá and after that until 1570 as lieutenant general of the first president of Colombia. Juan de Céspedes married Isabel Romero, one of the first Spanish women who arrived at Colombian territories and had two legitimate sons and one daughter. His date of death is uncertain; in late 1573 or 1576.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan del Junco</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Ruíz Corredor</span> Spanish conquistador

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Gonzalo García Zorro was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the Spanish conquest of the Muisca people. García Zorro was encomendero (mayor) of Santa Fe de Bogotá for seven terms, and received the encomiendas of Fusagasugá and Fosca.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan de Albarracín</span> Spanish conquistador

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio de Lebrija (conquistador)</span> Spanish conquistador

Antonio de Lebrija was born in 1507, in Alcántara, Extremadura, Spain; and died in 1540, in Brozas, also in Extremadura. He was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the Spanish conquest of the Muisca and the Chimila peoples. He was the treasurer of the conquest expedition which left Santa Marta in April 1536 following the high quality salt trail, the Camino de la Sal, along the Suárez River up the slopes of the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes towards the Muisca Confederation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (in Spanish) Personajes de la Conquista a AméricaBanco de la República
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 (in Spanish) List of conquistadors of the expedition led by Gonzalo Jiménez de QuesadaBanco de la República
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (in Spanish) Conquista rápida y saqueo cuantioso de Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
  4. (in Spanish) Alonso de OjedaBanco de la República
  5. Catholic Encyclopedia – Martín Fernández de Enciso
  6. (in Spanish) Murder of the son of La Gaitana by Pedro de Añasco
  7. (in Spanish) Baltasar MaldonadoSoledad Acosta SamperBanco de la República
  8. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.88
  9. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.93
  10. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.94
  11. (in Spanish) Juan de CéspedesBanco de la República
  12. (in Spanish) Biography Juan de CéspedesBanco de la República
  13. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.69
  14. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.153
  15. (in Spanish) Luis LancheroBanco de la República
  16. Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.56
  17. (in Spanish) Pedro Ruiz CorredorSoledad Acosta SamperBanco de la República
  18. (in Spanish) Juan TafurBanco de la RepúblicaSoledad Acosta de Samper
  19. (in Spanish) Martín Yañéz TafurBanco de la RepúblicaSoledad Acosta Samper
  20. (in Spanish) Antonio Díaz de CardosoBanco de la RepúblicaSoledad Acosta Samper
  21. Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.173
  22. Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.84
  23. Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.61
  24. Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.144
  25. (in Spanish) Hernán Venegas CarrilloBanco de la República
  26. Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.xii
  27. (in Spanish) Gaspar de RodasBanco de la República
  28. Jaramillo Mejía, William. 1996. Antioquia bajo los Austrias, Volume 1 . Accessed 2017-03-08.
  29. (in Spanish) Biography Juan Rodríguez FreyleBanco de la República
  30. (in Spanish) El Carnero – semilla de nuestro periodismoEl Tiempo

Bibliography

Further reading