List of conquistadors in Colombia

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.

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.

Indigenous peoples of Colombia
Pre-Columbian cultures
Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations
Chibchan Nations
Southwestern cultures
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
Legend:
• Leader – minor 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)
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 Núñez de Balboa (1513)
 Francisco Pizarro
 Martín Fernández de Enciso
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 Agustín Codazzi, 1890
Name
leader in bold 		Nationality Years
active 		Indigenous people encountered
bold is conquered
conquest failed 		Year
of
death 		Image Notes
Alonso de Ojeda Castilian 1499–1502
1509–10 		Wayuu
Kuna (2) 		1515
[4]
Christopher Columbus Genovese 1502–1504 Kuna (1) 1506
[note 1]
Francisco Pizarro Extremaduran 1509–10
1513
1515–29 		Kuna (2, 3, 4)
Inca 		1541
Martín Fernández de Enciso Castilian 1509–10
1513–17 		Kuna (2, 3) 1528 [5]
Vasco Núñez de Balboa Extremaduran 1513–19 Kuna (3) 1519
Pedro Arias Dávila Castilian 1513–19 Kuna (3) 1531 [1]
Pascual de Andagoya Basque 1515–29 Kuna (4), Inca 1548 [1]
Diego de Almagro Castilian 1515–29 Kuna (4)
Inca 		1538
Bartolomé Ruiz Castilian 1515–29 Kuna (4) 1532
Sebastián de Belalcázar Castilian 1514–39 Paez
Pijao (1)
Sutagao (1)
Muisca 		1551 [1][3]
Jorge Robledo Castilian 1514–46 Paez
Pijao (1)
Nutabe 		1546
[1][note 2]
Juan de Ampudia Castilian 1514–41 Paez, Pijao (1), Nutabe 1541
Pedro de Añasco Castilian 1514–41 Paez, 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
[1]
Juan de Céspedes Castilian 1525–43 Tairona, Chimila (1, 2)
Muisca
Panche (1), Sutagao (1) 		1573 or 1576 [2][3][11][12][13]
Ambrosius Ehinger Bavarian 1529–33 Tairona, Wayuu
Chimila (1), Motilon (1), Chitarero (1) 		1533 [1]
Pedro de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú 1554
[1]
Alonso de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú [1]
Alonso de Cáceres Extremaduran 1532–38 Zenú
Georg von Speyer Palatinatian 1535–38 Motilon (2)
Chitarero (1) 		1540
Nikolaus Federmann Bavarian 1535–39 Motilon (2), Chitarero (1)
U'wa, Lache (1)
Muisca 		1542 [1][3]
Miguel Holguín y Figueroa Extremaduran 1535–39 Motilon (2), Chitarero (1), U'wa, Lache (1), Muisca 1576> [2][14]
Luis Lanchero Castilian 1533–39
1541–1559 		Muzo 1562 [15][16]
Gonzalo Jiménez
de Quesada 		Granadian 1536–39
1569–72 		Tairona, Chimila (2)
zipa
zaque
Panche
Pijao (2) 		1579
[1][2][3]
Juan Maldonado Castilian 1536–39
1569–72 		Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Pijao (2) [2][note 3]
Pedro Ruíz Corredor Castilian 1533–1601 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Inca 1601+ [2][17]
Juan de Albarracín Castilian 1536–1539 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
Juan Tafur Castilian 1518–1541 Tairona, Chimila (1,2), Muisca, Panche [2][18]
Martín Yañéz Tafur Castilian 1520–1544 Zenú, Kuna, Panche [2][19]
Antonio Díaz de Cardoso Portuguese 1526–41 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2][20]
Gonzalo García Zorro Extremaduran 1536–1544 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche 1566 [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 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2)
zipa, Panche
zaque 		1590 [2][3][22]
Juan del Junco Asturian 1536–41 Tairona, 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 1536–47 Tairona, Chimila (2), Panche 1583 [2][25]
Ortún Velázquez de Velasco Castilian 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Chitarero (2) 1584 [2][26]
Bartolomé Camacho Zambrano Extremaduran 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
Pedro Fernández de Valenzuela Castilian 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche [2]
640+ conquistadors
~80% 		mostly Castilian April 1536
-
April 1537 		Diseases, jaguars, crocodiles, climate,
various indigenous warfare 		1536
1537
[2][3]
Gaspar de Rodas Extremaduran 1539–81 Paez
Pijao
Nutabe 		1607
[27]
Juan Maldonado Castilian 1543–72 Chitarero (4) 1572
Pedro de Ursúa Navarran 1545–61 Panche
Muzo
Chitarero (5)
Tairona 		1561
[note 4]
Juan Taborda Extremaduran 1545–69 Nutabe 1569 [28]
Juan Freyle Castilian Panche
Muzo
Chitarero (5)
Tairona 		[29][30]

See also

  • flagColombia portal
  • History portal
  • Indigenous peoples of the Americas portal
  • flagSpain portal

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

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k (in Spanish) Personajes de la Conquista a América – Banco de la República
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w (in Spanish) List of conquistadors of the expedition led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada – Banco de la República
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k (in Spanish) Conquista rápida y saqueo cuantioso de Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
  4. ^ (in Spanish) Alonso de Ojeda – Banco 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 Maldonado – Soledad Acosta Samper – Banco 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 Céspedes – Banco de la República
  12. ^ (in Spanish) Biography Juan de Céspedes – Banco de la República
  13. ^ Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.69
  14. ^ Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.153
  15. ^ (in Spanish) Luis Lanchero – Banco de la República
  16. ^ Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.56
  17. ^ (in Spanish) Pedro Ruiz Corredor – Soledad Acosta Samper – Banco de la República
  18. ^ (in Spanish) Juan Tafur – Banco de la República – Soledad Acosta de Samper
  19. ^ (in Spanish) Martín Yañéz Tafur – Banco de la República – Soledad Acosta Samper
  20. ^ (in Spanish) Antonio Díaz de Cardoso – Banco de la República – Soledad 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 Carrillo – Banco de la República
  26. ^ Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.xii
  27. ^ (in Spanish) Gaspar de Rodas – Banco de la República
  28. ^ Jaramillo Mejía, William. 1996. Antioquia bajo los Austrias, Volume 1. Accessed 2017-03-08.
  29. ^ (in Spanish) Biography Juan Rodríguez Freyle – Banco de la República
  30. ^ (in Spanish) El Carnero – semilla de nuestro periodismo – El Tiempo

Bibliography

  • Rodríguez Freyle, Juan, and Darío Achury Valenzuela. 1979 (1859) (1638). El Carnero – Conquista i descubrimiento del nuevo reino de Granada de las Indias Occidentales del mar oceano, i fundacion de la ciudad de Santa Fe de Bogota, 1–598. Fundacion Biblioteca Ayacuch. Accessed 2016-11-21.

Further reading

  • N, N. 1979 (1888) (1539). Epítome de la conquista del Nuevo Reino de Granada, 81–97. Accessed 2016-11-24.
  • Jiménez de Quesada, Gonzalo. 1576. Memoria de los descubridores, que entraron conmigo a descubrir y conquistar el Reino de Granada. Accessed 2016-07-08.
  • De Castellanos, Juan. 1857 (1589). Elegías de varones ilustres de Indias, 1–567. Accessed 2016-07-08.
  • Simón, Pedro. 1892 (1626). Noticias historiales de las conquistas de Tierra Firme en las Indias occidentales (1882–92) vol.1–5. Accessed 2016-07-08.
  • Fernández de Piedrahita, Lucas. 1688. Historia general de las conquistas del Nuevo Reino de Granada. Accessed 2016-07-08.
  • Acosta, Joaquín. 1848. Compendio histórico del descubrimiento y colonización de la Nueva Granada en el siglo décimo sexto – Historical overview of discovery and colonization of New Granada in the sixteenth century, 1–460. Beau Press. Accessed 2016-07-08.
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