Pedro de Alvarado

Timeline

1. c. 1485–1502Badajoz · ExtremaduraBorn in the region of Extremadura in the Kingdom of Castile to a minor noble family. He received basic military training in his youth and, amid the aftermath of Spain's unification wars and calls for overseas expansion, crossed the sea to the West Indies in 1502, beginning his career as a conquistador.
2. 1502–1510Hispaniola · HispaniolaArriving on Hispaniola in 1502, he served under Governor Nicolás de Oviedo in island settlement and the suppression of indigenous resistance. During this period he learned conquest tactics and colonial administration in the Caribbean, accumulating considerable practical experience and connections by 1510.
3. 1510–1541Cuba · CubaHe took part in Diego Velázquez's conquest of Cuba in 1510, later joined Cortés's expedition to Mexico, and as second-in-command led troops south to conquer Guatemala, founding the city of Santiago de Guatemala. In his later years he served as governor of Guatemala and was killed in 1541 while campaigning against a rebellion in New Spain.