Alvarado's March into Guatemala

Timeline

1. 1520Tlaxcala/Valley of Mexico · MexicoAfter capturing Tenochtitlan, Cortés appointed Alvarado to organize a southward expedition targeting the gold-rich Maya regions of Central America; the expedition assembled firearms, cavalry and Tlaxcalan allies.
2. 1523–1524K'iche' and Kaqchikel regions · GuatemalaAlvarado marched south, defeating the K'iche' Maya alliance and the Kaqchikel among others, capturing key towns such as Chiquimul and Iximché, and exploiting tribal rivalries to divide Maya resistance.
3. 1524Santiago de Guatemala (initial founding) · Zacatecas ProvinceAlvarado set up colonial administrative institutions in the conquered territories, initially founding the city of Santiago de Guatemala, establishing Spanish rule over the Guatemalan highlands and laying the groundwork for the later Captaincy General of Central America.