Biography of Hernando Pizarro - Hernan Pizarro Profile

Biography of Hernando Pizarro - Hernan Pizarro Profile Biography of Hernando Pizarro: Hernando Pizarro (ca. 1495-1578) was a Spanish conquistador and the brother of Francisco Pizarro. Hernando was one of five Pizarro brothers to journey to Peru in 1530, where they led the conquest of the mighty Inca Empire. Hernando was his brother Franciscos most important lieutenant and as such received a huge share of the profits from the conquest. After the conquest, he took part in the civil wars among the conquistadors and personally defeated and executed Diego de Almagro, for which he was later imprisoned in Spain. He was the only of the Pizarro brothers to reach old age, as the rest were executed, murdered or died on the battlefield. Journey to the New World: Hernando Pizarro was born sometime around 1495 in Extremadura, Spain, one of the children of Gonzalo Pizarro and Ines de Vargas: Hernando was the only legitimate Pizarro brother. When his elder brother Francisco returned to Spain in 1528 looking to recruit men for an expedition of conquest, Hernando swiftly joined up, along with his brothers Gonzalo and Juan and their illegitimate half-brother Francisco Martà ­n de Alcntara. Francisco had already made a name for himself in the New World and was one of the leading Spanish citizens of Panama: nevertheless, he dreamed of making a huge score like Hernn Cortà ©s had done in Mexico. The Capture of the Inca: The Pizarro brothers returned to the Americas, organized an expedition and departed from Panama in December of 1530. They disembarked on what is today the coast of Ecuador and began working their way south from there, all the while finding signs of a rich, powerful culture in the area. In November of 1532, they made their way inland to the town of Cajamarca, where the Spaniards caught a lucky break. The ruler of the Inca Empire, Atahualpa, had just defeated his brother Huascar in an Inca civil war and was in Cajamarca. The Spaniards persuaded Atahualpa to grant them an audience, where they betrayed and captured him on November 16, killing many of his men and servants in the process. The Temple of Pachacamac: With Atahualpa captive, the Spanish set out to loot the wealthy Inca Empire. Atahualpa agreed to an extravagant ransom, filling rooms in Cajamarca with gold and silver: natives from all over the Empire began bringing treasure by the ton. By now, Hernando was his brothers most trusted lieutenant: other lieutenants included Hernando de Soto and Sebastin de Benalczar. The Spaniards began to hear tales of great wealth at the Temple of Pachacamac, located not far from present-day Lima. Francisco Pizarro gave the job of finding it to Hernando: it took him and a handful of horsemen three weeks to get there and they were disappointed to find that there was not much gold in the temple. On the way back, Hernando convinced Chalcuchima, one of Atahualpas top generals, to accompany him back to Cajamarca: Chalcuchima was captured, ending a major threat to the Spanish. First Trip Back to Spain: By June of 1533, the Spaniards had acquired a massive fortune in gold and silver unlike anything seen before or since. The Spanish crown always took one fifth of all treasure found by conquistadors, so the Pizarros had to get a fortune halfway around the world. Hernando Pizarro was entrusted with the task. He left on June 13, 1533 and arrived in Spain on January 9, 1534. He was personally received by King Charles V, who awarded generous concessions to the Pizarro brothers. Some of the treasure had not yet been melted down and some original Inca artworks were put on public display for a while. Hernando recruited more conquistadors – an easy thing to do – and returned to Peru. The Civil Wars: Hernando continued to be his brothers most loyal supporter in the years that followed. The Pizarro brothers had a nasty falling-out with Diego de Almagro, who had been a major partner in the first expedition, over the division of loot and land. A civil war broke out between their supporters. In April of 1537, Almagro captured Cuzco and with it Hernando and Gonzalo Pizarro. Gonzalo escaped and Hernando was later released as part of negotiations to end the fighting. Once again, Francisco turned to Hernando, giving him a large force of Spanish conquistadors to defeat Almagro. At the Battle of Salinas on April 26, 1538, Hernando defeated Almagro and his supporters. After a hasty trial, Hernando shocked all of Spanish Peru by executing Almagro on July 8, 1538. Second Trip Back to Spain: In early 1539, Hernando once again departed for Spain in charge of a fortune in gold and silver for the crown. He didnt know it, but he would not return to Peru. When he arrived in Spain, supporters of Diego de Almagro convinced the King to imprison Hernando at la Mota castle in Medina del Campo. Meanwhile, Juan Pizarro had died in battle in 1536, and Francisco Pizarro and Francisco Martà ­n de Alcntara were murdered in Lima in 1541. When Gonzalo Pizarro was executed for treason against the Spanish crown in 1548, Hernando, still in prison, became the last surviving of the five brothers. Marriage and Retirement: Hernando lived like a prince in his prison: he was allowed to collect the rents from his considerable estates in Peru and people were free to come and see him. He even kept a longtime mistress. Hernando, who was executor of his brother Francisco’s will, kept most of the loot by marrying his own niece Francisca, Francisco’s only surviving child: they had five children. King Phillip II released Hernando in May of 1561: he had been imprisoned over 20 years. He and Francisca moved to the city of Trujillo, where he built a magnificent palace: today it is a museum. He died in 1578. Legacy of Hernando Pizarro: Hernando was an important figure in two major historical events in Peru: the conquest of the Inca Empire and the brutal civil wars among the greedy conquistadors that followed. As his brother Franciscos trusted right-hand man, Hernando helped the Pizarros become the most powerful family in the New World by 1540. He was considered the friendliest and most smooth-talking of the Pizarros: for this reason he was sent to the Spanish court to secure privileges for the Pizarro clan. He also tended to have better relationships with the native Peruvians than his brothers did: Manco Inca, a puppet ruler installed by the Spanish, trusted Hernando Pizarro, although he despised Gonzalo and Juan Pizarro. Later, in the the civil wars among the conquistadors, Hernando won the crucial victory against Diego de Almagro, thus defeating the greatest enemy of the Pizarro family. His execution of Almagro was probably ill-advised - the king had raised Almagro to nobleman status. Hernando paid for it, spending the best years of the rest of his life in prison. The Pizarro brothers are not remembered fondly in Peru: the fact that Hernando was probably the least cruel of the lot isnt saying much. The only statue of Hernando is a bust that he commissioned himself for his palace in Trujillo, Spain. Sources: Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970). Patterson, Thomas C. The Inca Empire: The Formation and Disintegration of a Pre-Capitalist State.New York: Berg Publishers, 1991.

Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf in World War II

Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf in World War II Jesse Oldendorf - Early Life Career: Born February 16, 1887, Jesse B. Oldendorf spent his early childhood in Riverside, CA.   After receiving his primary education, he sought to pursue a naval career and succeeded in obtaining an appointment to the US Naval Academy in 1905.   A middling student while at Annapolis, Oley as he was nicknamed, graduated four years later ranked 141st in a class of 174.   As the policy of the time required, Oldendorf commenced two years of sea time prior to receiving his ensigns commission in 1911.   Early assignments included postings to the armored cruiser USS California (ACR-6) and the destroyer USS Preble.   In the years prior to the United States entrance into World War I, he also served aboard USS Denver, USS Whipple, and later returned to California which had been renamed USS San Diego.    Jesse Oldendorf - World War I: Completing an assignment aboard the hydrological survey ship USS Hannibal near the Panama Canal, Oldendorf returned north and later prepared for duty in the North Atlantic following the American declaration of war.   Initially conducting recruiting activities in Philadelphia, he then was assigned to lead a naval armed guard detachment aboard the transport USAT Saratoga.   That summer, after Saratoga was damaged in a collision off New York, Oldendorf transferred to the transport USS Abraham Lincoln where he served as gunnery officer.   He remained aboard until May 31, 1918 when the ship was hit by three torpedoes fired by U-90.   Sinking off the Irish coast, those aboard were rescued and taken to France.   Recovering from the ordeal, Oldendorf was posted to USS Seattle that August as an engineering officer.   He continued in this role until March 1919. Jesse Oldendorf - Interwar Years: Briefly serving as executive officer of USS Patricia that summer, Oldendorf then came ashore and moved through recruiting and engineering assignments in Pittsburgh and Baltimore respectively.   Returning to sea in 1920, he did a short stint aboard USS Niagara before transferring to the light cruiser USS Birmingham.   While aboard, he served as flag secretary to a series of commanding officers of the Special Service Squadron.   In 1922, Oldendorf moved to California to serve as aide to Rear Admiral Josiah McKean, the commandant at Mare Island Navy Yard.   Completing this duty in 1925, he assumed command of the destroyer USS Decatur.   Aboard for two years, Oldendorf then spent 1927-1928 as an aide to the commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Having attained the rank of commander, Oldendorf received an appointment to the Naval War College in Newport, RI in 1928.   Completing the course a year later, he immediately began studies at the US Army War College.   Graduating in 1930, Oldendorf joined USS New York (BB-34) to serve as the battleships navigator.   Aboard for two years, he then returned to Annapolis for an assignment teaching navigation.   In 1935, Oldendorf moved to the West Coast to serve as executive officer of the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48).   Continuing a pattern of two-year postings, he moved to the Bureau of Navigation in 1937 to oversee recruiting duties before assuming command of the heavy cruiser USS Houston in 1939. Jesse Oldendorf - World War II: Posted to the Naval War College as a navigation instructor in September 1941, Oldendorf was in this assignment when the United States entered World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.   Leaving Newport in February 1942, he received a promotion to rear admiral the following month and an assignment to lead the Aruba-Curaà §ao sector of the Caribbean Sea Frontier.   Helping to protect Allied commerce, Oldendorf moved to Trinidad in August where he took an active role in anti-submarine warfare.   Continuing to fight the Battle of the Atlantic, he shifted north in May 1943 to lead Task Force 24.   Based at Naval Station Argentia in Newfoundland, Oldendorf oversaw all convoy escorts in the Western Atlantic.   Remaining in this post until December, he then received orders for the Pacific. Hoisting his flag aboard the heavy cruiser USS Louisville, Oldendorf assumed command of Cruiser Division 4.   Tasked with providing naval gunfire support for Admiral Chester Nimitzs island-hopping campaign across the Central Pacific, his ships went into action in late January as Allied forces landed at Kwajalein.   After aiding in the capture of Eniwetok in February, Oldendorfs cruisers struck targets in the Palaus before conducting bombardment missions to aid troops ashore during the Marianas Campaign that summer.   Transferring his flag to the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), he directed the pre-invasion bombardment of Peleliu that September.   In the course of operations, Oldendorf courted controversy when he ended the attack a day early and omitted shelling an obvious Japanese strong point.    Jesse Oldendorf - Surigao Strait: The following month, Oldendorf led the Bombardment and Fire Support Group, part of Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaids Central Philippine Attack Force, against Leyte in the Philippines. Reaching its fire support station on October 18 and his battleships began covering General Douglas MacArthurs troops as they went ashore two days later. With the Battle of Leyte Gulf underway, Oldendorfs battleships moved south on October 24 and blocked the mouth of the Surigao Strait.   Arraying his ships in a line across the strait, he was attacked that night by Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimuras Southern Force.   Having crossed the enemys T, Oldendorfs battleships, many of which were Pearl Harbor veterans, inflicted a decisive defeat on the Japanese and sunk the battleships Yamashiro and Fuso.   In recognition of the victory and the preventing the enemy from reaching the Leyte beachhead, Oldendorf received the Navy Cross. Jesse Oldendorf - Final Campaigns: Promoted to vice admiral on December 1, Oldendorf assumed command of Battleship Squadron 1.   In this new role he commanded the fire support forces during the landings at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon in January 1945.   Two months later, Oldendorf was put out of action with a broken collar bone after his barge hit a buoy at Ulithi.   Temporarily replaced by  Rear Admiral Morton Deyo, he returned to his post in early May.   Operating off Okinawa, Oldendorf was again injured on August 12 when Pennsylvania was hit by a Japanese torpedo.   Remaining in command, he transferred his flag to USS Tennessee (BB-43).   With the Japanese surrender on September 2, Oldendorf traveled to Japan where he directed the occupation of Wakayama.   Returning to the United States in November, he assumed command of the 11th Naval District in San Diego. Oldendorf remained in San Diego until 1947 when he moved to the post of Commander, Western Sea Frontier.   Based in San Francisco, he held this position until his retirement in September 1948.   Promoted to admiral as he left the service, Oldendorf later died on April 27, 1974.   His remains were interred at Arlington National Cemetery.     Ã‚        Ã‚   Selected Sources World War II Database: Jesse OldendorfU-boat: Jesse OldendorfFind A Grave: Jesse Oldendorf