Pizarro, FRANCISCO, the conqueror of Peru, was the illegitimate son of a colonel of infantry named Gonzalo Pizarro, and was born at Trujillo in Estremadura, it is believed about 1470 or 1475. He received no education, and was not even taught to read and write, but entered the military service at an early age, and served under the 'Great Captain' (Gonsalvo di Cordova) in Italy. In 1509 we find him at Darien in the expedition of Alonzo de Ojeda. He also served under Vasco Nuñez de Balboa when he crossed the isthmus and discovered the South Sea, led an expedition as far as Biru, to the south of the isthmus on the Pacific coast, and eventually became a citizen of Panamá. In 1522 Don Pascual de Andagoya also reached Biru, and there collected information respecting the great empire of the Incas. Returning to Panamá to prosecute the discovery, he became so ill that he was induced by the governor to hand over the enterprise to three partners, Francisco Pizarro, another old soldier named Diego de Almagro (q.v.), and a wealthy ecclesiastic named Hernando Luque. Pizarro was to lead the expedition, Almagro was to keep open communications, and Luque was to supply the funds. Their first attempt was a failure, but in 1526 Pizarro and Almagro sailed in two vessels, with Bartolomé Ruíz, a very expert and gallant sailor, as pilot. Pizarro landed his men, Almagro returned to Panamá for supplies, and Ruíz made a voyage to the southward, being the first European to cross the equator in the Pacific Ocean. Almagro returned, and the expedition proceeded southwards. But they were not yet strong enough to form any settlement, and eventually Almagro was sent back for reinforcements, while Pizarro and part of the force remained on an island discovered by Ruíz, in 1° 57' N., called Gallo. The arrangement caused much discontent. The men complained that they were being left to starve. The governor of Panamá refused to give any further countenance to an enterprise which seemed doomed to failure, and two vessels, under Pedro Tafur, were sent to bring the people back from Gallo. Pizarro refused to return. Drawing a line along the sand, he called upon those who remained resolute to achieve success in spite of all difficulties to come over to his side. Thirteen men crossed the line. Tafur returned with the rest to Panamá. Pizarro and his devoted little band removed to another island, called Gorgona, where there was more game and better water. For a long time the governor of Panamá refused to allow any help to be sent. At last Ruíz was allowed to sail with one small vessel. He reached Gorgona, and Pizarro embarked, full of hope. Sailing southward they reached the Peruvian port of Tumbéz, and collected full information respecting the empire of the Incas. Returning to Panamá, Pizarro proceeded to Spain to apply for authority to undertake the conquest of Peru.
The capitulation between Queen Juana and Pizarro was signed on 26th July 1529. Pizarro was made adelantado and captain-general, while Almagro received the title of marshal. Pizarro took back with him his four brothers, Hernando, Juan, Gonzalo, and Francisco Martin de Alcantara. He sailed from San Lucar on 19th January 1530, and from Panamá on 28th December 1531, with three vessels carrying 183 men and 37 horses. Almagro was to follow with reinforcements. Landing at Tumbéz, the Spaniards commenced the march inland in May 1532, and on 15th November entered the city of Cajamarca. The Inca Atahualpa, after defeating his brother and ending a long civil war, was in the neighbourhood, on his way to Cuzco, the capital of the empire. Pizarro captured the native sovereign by treachery, and after extorting an enormous ransom, amounting to 4,605,670 ducats (£3,500,000 of our money), treacherously put him to death on 29th August 1533. The royal share of the treasure was sent to Spain, with tidings of the conquest. Pizarro then marched to Cuzco, and set up the young Inca Manco as nominal sovereign. On 6th January 1535 Pizarro founded the city of Lima, as the capital of his new government. He was created a marquis by the Emperor Charles V., while Almagro was empowered to occupy territory for 200 leagues from the southern boundary of Pizarro's government. But that southern boundary was not fixed. Almagro declared that Cuzco was within his grant, but was induced to forego his claim, and to undertake the conquest of Chili. The marquis was busy founding cities on the coast, while his brothers were at Cuzco, when a great insurrection of the Indians broke out. Both Cuzco and Lima were closely besieged, and Juan Pizarro was killed. For many months the Spaniards were in great danger, but in the spring of 1537 Almagro returned from Chili, raised the siege of Cuzco, and took possession of the city, claiming to be its lawful governor. The Marquis Pizarro had no intention of allowing his rival to retain Cuzco. Too old to take the field himself, he entrusted the command of his forces to his brothers, who defeated Almagro on 26th April 1538, and beheaded the old soldier soon afterwards. The property of his followers was confiscated. Pizarro remained at Lima, consolidating his power, and despatching various expeditions for discovery and conquest. But Almagro's followers were driven to desperation; they were called in derision 'men of Chili,' and the marquis treated them with contemptuous indifference. One of them, named Juan de Rada, matured a conspiracy for the assassination of the governor. The conspirators attacked his house during the mid-day meal, and murdered the old conqueror, who was between sixty-five and seventy, on 26th June 1541. The body of Pizarro was buried in the cathedral by stealth and at night.
Francisco Pizarro is one of the most prominent figures in the history of Spanish conquest in the New World. He was brave and determined, a man of inflexible constancy of purpose and infinite resource. His followers were devoted to his service, and some of his friendships endured until death. The indelible stain on his character is the treacherous execution of the Inca Atahualpa. Although without education, he rose to the greatness of his position, and proved himself to be an able and far-seeing administrator. Falling by the hands of assassins, he was defended by devoted friends, and died as bravely as he had lived.
Pizarro was never married. By the Inca princess, Inez Huayllas Nusta, a sister of Atahualpa, he had two children—Gonzalo, who died young, and Francisca, who went to Spain with her step-father, Don Francisco Ampuero, a knight who married Inez after the assassination of the marquis. Francisca married her uncle Hernando Pizarro in 1551, and by him had three sons and a daughter. Hernando, for having beheaded the Marshal Almagro at Cuzco, was imprisoned in the castle of Medina del Campo on his return to Spain, where he remained until 1560. He married his niece during his imprisonment, which could not have been very rigorous. He died at Trujillo, the original home of himself and his brothers, in 1578.
GONZALO PIZARRO, brother of the Marquis Francisco Pizarro, served with his father in Italy when a boy. He accompanied his brother Francisco in the conquest of Peru, and did very good service when the Indians besieged Cuzco, and in the conquest of Charcas. In 1539 Gonzalo Pizarro undertook an expedition to the so-called Land of Cinnamon, the forest-covered region to the eastward of Quito. He left that city with 350 Spaniards and 4000 Indians on Christmas Day, and the hardships and sufferings endured by Gonzalo and his companions have seldom been equalled. Descending the rivers Coca and Napo, Gonzalo entrusted the command of a small vessel he had built to Francisco de Orellana, one of his lieutenants, who was to go in advance and seek for supplies. But Orellana deserted his starving comrades, discovered the whole course of the river Amazon, and returned to Spain. Out of the 350 Spaniards that left Quito 50 deserted with Orellana, 210 died of hunger and disease, and the miserable remnant returned to Quito with their intrepid leader in June 1542.
When Gonzalo Pizarro heard of the assassination of his brother the marquis he retired to his estates in Charcas. In 1544 the new viceroy, Blasco Nuñez Vela, arrived in Peru to enforce the 'New Laws.' The Spaniards were dismayed, and entreated Gonzalo to leave his retirement and protect their interests. He consented, chose an old veteran named Francisco de Carbajal as his lieutenant, and assembled a force of 400 men. The viceroy fled, and Gonzalo entered Lima in triumph on the 28th of October 1544 at the head of 1200 Spaniards, and several thousand Indians dragging the artillery. He was declared governor of Peru. Blasco Nuñez de Vela fled to Quito, but was closely followed by old Carbajal, and defeated and killed in the battle of Anaquito on January 18, 1546. Gonzalo Pizarro was undisputed master of Peru. Carbajal retired to Charcas to work the silver-mines.
When news of this revolt reached Spain the licentiate Pedro de la Gasca, an astute and very able ecclesiastic, was appointed to proceed to Peru as president of an 'Audiencia,' or court of five judges, and to restore order. He sailed in May 1546, and arrived at Panamá in August, where he gained possession of Pizarro's fleet by a combination of cunning and force. Gasca landed at Tumbéz in June 1547. Gonzalo Pizarro, despairing of being able to make head against the president, determined to retreat into Chili. But there was a force, under an officer named Diego Centeno, hanging on his rear; and it was necessary to dispose of it first. Centeno was utterly defeated in the battle of Huarina, near the banks of Lake Titicaca, and the doomed Pizarro was so elated at the victory that he abandoned all idea of retiring into Chili. He advanced to Cuzco, and the President Gasca approached him by leisurely marches, encamping on the plain of Sacsahuana, near Cuzco, in April 1548. On the 9th Pizarro and Carbajal marched out of Cuzco, and both sides made ready for battle. But soon there were symptoms of desertion on
Pizarro's side. The desertions took place by companies and squadrons. So Gonzalo Pizarro sorrowfully took his way to the president's camp, and gave himself up. Carbajal was seized by the soldiers and hanged the following day. Gonzalo, the last of five famous brothers, was beheaded in presence of the whole army on the 10th of April 1548, at the age of forty-two. He left, by an Inca princess, a son known as Francisquito, who was made legitimate by the emperor in 1544, and a daughter named Inez, who was married in Lima. Francisquito was sent to Spain, but died young.
See Lives by Helps (1869) and Towle (Boston, 1878), also works cited at PERU.