At the age 19, Cortés set sail for the New World.
Cortés was described as a sickly child who recovered his strength as he grew older. He was sent away to school at the age of 14, but he disliked it and returned home after only two years. After returning home, he did not pursue a career as a lawyer, as his parents desired, but instead decided to travel to the New World to earn a living. At the age of 19, he set sail for the New World.
Cortés became a Spanish explorer, or 'Conquistador,' after setting sail, and was one of the first to begin Spanish colonization of the Americas. Cortés is one of the most well-known Spanish Conquistadors as a result of his exploits. He traveled to the Americas after leaving home, first stopping at Hispaniola, which was the name for modern-day Dominican Republic and Haiti. He then moved to Cuba, where he served as a magistrate in one of the first Spanish settlements. After a few years as a magistrate, he was chosen as captain to lead an expedition to the mainland, where he worked with indigenous people to ensure the land's successful conquest.
Cortés had heard of the Aztec civilization and recognized it as a formidable force in what is now modern-day Mexico. He persuaded another conquistador and then-Governor of Cuba, Diego Velasquez, to let him lead an expedition to Mexico. Cortes was ordered to halt his expedition just before departure. Cortes defied the order and proceeded. As a result, he set sail soon after with 11 ships and slightly more than 500 men. The expedition first arrived in the Yucatan Peninsula, to the east of the Aztec Empire's main territory. Hernan Cortés and his men quickly encountered other Mesoamerican peoples who lived in the area.
