Cortes, Hernando (1485-1547) - Spanish adventurer and explorer, he reached Hispaniola in 1504 and participated in the Spanish conquest of Cuba with Diego Velazquez in 1511. Cortes is best remembered for his conquest of the Aztec empire in the valley of Mexico between 1519 and 1521. Cortes and his army imprisoned the Aztec emperor Montezuma, destroyed the Aztec temples, and began to convert the people to Christianity. After exploring Central America and Lower California, he returned to Spain in 1540 and died there in 1547.
