A Riveting New History of the Conquistadores: Blood, Gold, and the Conquest of the New World

There is, quite frankly, a lot of myth and historical mayhem out there about the discovery of the "New World" and the role of Spain's "Conquistiadores." In Fernando Cervantes's riveting new book, we get a fresh, unbiased, and deeply researched historical overview of these brave, ambitious, at times greedy, and more often than not bloody explorers. From Pizarro to Cortés to the rest of them, Cervantes drills in what drove them to risk their lives on the high seas and in the jungles of Latin America. True, the search for gold was the primary factor. And with it came a great price - particularly for the native Americas who died by the thousands from diseases brought by the conquistadores if not at the bloody tip of their swords.

What is particularly valuable about Cervante's book is his superb overview of what was going on in Europe at the time, the wars and dynastic wars, the rise of Martin Luther, and the never-ending battles with the Moors. All of which directly impacted Spain's spending and focus on the New World - indeed, in many ways tremendously exasperating the desperate search for gold and silver in the New World to fund those very wars back home.

I am happy to have this book on my shelves as I know I will find it a tremendous resource in the years to come as I grow my business in Latin America and need to be refreshed on the history of that time, which continues to define in so many ways the way of life in the region today.