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, Personajes de la Conquista a América – Banco de la República 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, List of conquistadors of the expedition led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada – Banco de la República Conquista rápida y saqueo cuantioso de Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and Nikolaus Federmann and Sebastián de Belalcázar who entered the Colombian interior from the northwest and south respectively.
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Conquistadors in Colombia
Nameleader in bold Nationality Yearsactive Indigenous people encounteredbold is conqueredconquest failed Yearofdeath Image Notes Alonso de Ojeda Castilian 1499–1502 1509–10 WayuuKuna (2) 1515 Alonso de Ojeda – Banco de la República Genovese 1502–1504 Kuna (1) 1506 Francisco Pizarro Extremaduran 1509–1015131515–29 Kuna (2, 3, 4)Inca 1541 Martín Fernández de Enciso Castilian 1509–101513–17 Kuna (2, 3) 1533 Vasco Núñez de Balboa Extremaduran 1513–19 Kuna (3) 1519 Pedro Arias Dávila Castilian 1513–19 Kuna (3) 1531 Pascual de Andagoya Basque 1515–29 Kuna (4), Inca 1548 Diego de Almagro Castilian 1515–29 Kuna (4)Inca 1538 Bartolomé Ruiz Castilian 1515–29 Kuna (4) 1532 Sebastián de Belalcázar Castilian 1514–39 PaezPijao (1)Sutagao (1)Muisca 1551 Jorge Robledo Castilian 1514–46 PaezPijao (1)Nutabe 1546 Juan de Ampudia Castilian 1514–41 Paez, Pijao (1), Nutabe 1541 Pedro de Añasco Castilian 1514–41 Paez, Pijao (1) Murder of the son of La Gaitana by Pedro de Añasco Baltasar Maldonado Castilian 1534–52 Inca, Paez, Pijao (1), Quimbaya, Pantágora, Muisca, Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá 1552 Baltasar Maldonado – Soledad Acosta Samper – Banco de la RepúblicaRodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.88Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.93Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.94 Rodrigo de Bastidas Castilian 1524–25 Tairona 1527 Juan de Céspedes Castilian 1525–43 Tairona, Chimila (1, 2)MuiscaPanche (1), Sutagao (1) 1573 or 1576 Juan de Céspedes – Banco de la República Biography Juan de Céspedes – Banco de la RepúblicaRodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.69 Ambrosius Ehinger Bavarian 1529–33 Tairona, WayuuChimila (1), Motilon (1), Chitarero (1) 1533 Pedro de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú 1554 Alonso de Heredia Castilian 1532–38 Zenú 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 Miguel Holguín y Figueroa Extremaduran 1535–39 Motilon (2), Chitarero (1), U'wa, Lache (1), Muisca 1576> Rodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.153 Luis Lanchero Castilian 1533–391541–1559 Muzo 1562 Luis Lanchero – Banco de la RepúblicaRodríguez Freyle, 1979 (1638), p.56 Gonzalo Jiménezde Quesada Granadian 1536–391569–72 Tairona, Chimila (2)zipazaquePanchePijao (2) 1579 Juan Maldonado Castilian 1536–391569–72 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Pijao (2) Pedro Ruíz Corredor Castilian 1533–1601 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Inca 1601+ Pedro Ruiz Corredor – Soledad Acosta Samper – Banco de la República Juan de Albarracín Castilian 1536–1539 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche Juan Tafur Castilian 1518–1541 Tairona, Chimila (1,2), Muisca, Panche Juan Tafur – Banco de la República – Soledad Acosta de Samper Martín Yañéz Tafur Castilian 1520–1544 Zenú, Kuna, Panche Martín Yañéz Tafur – Banco de la República – Soledad Acosta Samper Antonio Díaz de Cardoso Portuguese 1526–41 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche Antonio Díaz de Cardoso – Banco de la República – Soledad Acosta Samper Gonzalo García Zorro Extremaduran 1536–1544 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche 1566 Gonzalo Macías Extremaduran 1536–391569–71 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Pijao (2) 1571~ Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.173 Hernán Pérezde Quesada Granadian 1536–391540–42 Tairona, Chimila (2)Muisca, PancheLache (2), Chitarero (3)Achagua, Guayupe, Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá 1544 Gonzalo Suárez Rendón Castilian 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2)zipa, Panchezaque 1590 Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.84 Juan del Junco Asturian 1536–41 Tairona, Chimila (2)Muisca 15?? Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.61 Martín Galeano Extremaduran 1536–391540–45 Tairona, Chimila (2)Muisca, PancheMuzo 1554~ Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.144 Lázaro Fonte Castilian 1536–391540–42 Tairona, Chimila (2)Muisca, PancheLache (2), Guayupe 1542 Juan de Sanct Martín Castilian 1536–391540–45 Tairona, Chimila (2)Muisca, PancheGuaneAchagua Hernán Venegas Carrillo Castilian 1536–47 Tairona, Chimila (2), Panche 1583 Hernán Venegas Carrillo – Banco de la República Ortún Velázquez de Velasco Castilian 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche, Chitarero (2) 1584 Rodríguez Freyle, 1638, p.xii Bartolomé Camacho Zambrano Extremaduran 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche Pedro Fernández de Valenzuela Castilian 1536–39 Tairona, Chimila (2), Muisca, Panche 640+ conquistadors~80% mostly Castilian April 1536-April 1537 Diseases, jaguars, crocodiles, climate,various indigenous warfare 15361537 Gaspar de Rodas Extremaduran 1539–81 PaezPijaoNutabe 1607 Gaspar de Rodas – Banco de la República Juan Maldonado Castilian 1543–72 Chitarero (4) 1572 Pedro de Ursúa Navarran 1545–61 PancheMuzoChitarero (5)Tairona 1561 Juan Taborda Extremaduran 1545–69 Nutabe 1569 Juan Freyle Castilian PancheMuzoChitarero (5)Tairona Biography Juan Rodríguez Freyle – Banco de la República El Carnero – semilla de nuestro periodismo – El Tiempo
See also
First wave of European colonization European colonization of the Americas Spanish conquest of Guatemala, Petén Maya, Chiapas, Yucatán Aztec, Honduras Spanish conquest of the Muisca Epítome de la conquista del Nuevo Reino de Granada El Carnero Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire
Notes
References
Bibliography
Further reading