Francisco Xerez
Encyclopedia
Francisco Xerez or Francisco de Jerez (Seville
, Spain
, 1495 - 1565?) was a Spanish explorer-turned-historian, the personal secretary of conquistador Francisco Pizarro
. He participated in the conquest of Peru during the first two unsuccessful expeditions led by Pizarro, Diego de Almagro
and Hernando de Luque
in 1524.
Xerex did not stay and join The thirteen of the fame
in the Isle of Gallo (1526).
Francisco Xerez arrived in the New World
on 1514 under the expedition that Ferdinand II of Aragon
had sent under the guidance of Pedrarias Dávila
. The expedition had landed in the city of Santa María la Antigua del Darién
, Panama
. During the next decade, he remained in Castilla de Oro
. Xerez explored the Isthmus of Panama
along with Vasco Nuñez de Balboa
and Gaspar de Espinosa. As one of the first settlers in Acla
, Panama, he became the actuary of the local Spanish administrators.
Between 1528 and 1530, Xerez lived in Natá
of the Coclé Province
as the actuary of governor Pedro de los Ríos
. During this last year, when Francisco Pizarro had returned from his interview with King Charles V
in Toledo, Spain
, Xerez once again joined Pizarro and his followers on their voyage to conquer the Inca Empire.
Following the successful campaign of the Battle of Cajamarca
in 1532, Francisco Pizarro designated Xerez as his personal secretary and offered him a significant amount of gold the Inca Emperor Atahualpa
had paid as a ransom. Xerez wrote with all detail about the events that preceded the Spanish conquest and the first encounter Pizarro had with Atahualpa in Cajamarca
. During this time Xerez fractured one of his legs and returned to Seville, where his narrations about the conquest of Peru were published as the "Verdadera Relación de la conquista del Perú" in June of 1534.
Xerez did not have the same luck back in his native Seville, and soon became broke after various unsuccessful businesses. Towards the end of 1540s his situation aggravated, prompting him to change his name to Francisco López de Xerez. No details of Xerez are known following these years, although some authors claim he went bankrupt and eventually returned with his family to Peru until he died.
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 1495 - 1565?) was a Spanish explorer-turned-historian, the personal secretary of conquistador Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess was a Spanish conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire, and founder of Lima, the modern-day capital of the Republic of Peru.-Early life:...
. He participated in the conquest of Peru during the first two unsuccessful expeditions led by Pizarro, Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro, , also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo , was a Spanish conquistador and a companion and later rival of Francisco Pizarro. He participated in the Spanish conquest of Peru and is credited as the first European discoverer of Chile.Almagro lost his left eye battling with coastal...
and Hernando de Luque
Hernando de Luque
Hernando de Luque was a Spanish priest who travelled to the New World in the 16th century. He arrived in 1514 with the expedition of Pedrarias Dávila to Panama, where he met Francisco Pizarro. Luque financed a joint expedition by Pizarro and Diego de Almagro to Peru in 1526...
in 1524.
Xerex did not stay and join The thirteen of the fame
The thirteen of the fame
The Famous Thirteen were a group of 16th century Spanish conquistadors that participated in the Spanish conquest of Peru along with their leader, Francisco Pizarro...
in the Isle of Gallo (1526).
Francisco Xerez arrived in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
on 1514 under the expedition that Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
had sent under the guidance of Pedrarias Dávila
Pedrarias Dávila
Pedrarias Dávila y Ortiz de Cota , was a Spanish colonial administrator...
. The expedition had landed in the city of Santa María la Antigua del Darién
Santa María la Antigua del Darién
Santa María la Antigua del Darién was a Spanish colonial town founded in 1510 by Vasco Núñez de Balboa, located in present-day Colombia approximately 40 miles south of Acandí...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. During the next decade, he remained in Castilla de Oro
Castilla de Oro
Castilla de Oro was the name given by the Spanish settlers at the beginning of the 16th century to the Central American territories from the Gulf of Urabá, near today's Colombian-Panamanian border, to the Belén River. Beyond that river, the region was known as Veragua, and was disputed by the...
. Xerez explored the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
along with Vasco Nuñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.He traveled to the New World in...
and Gaspar de Espinosa. As one of the first settlers in Acla
Acla
Acla was a Spanish colonial town founded by order of the Governor of Castilla de Oro, Pedrarias Dávila, in 1515. It was located on the central coastline of the modern-day Kuna Yala, to the northeast of Panamá. The town's name means bones of men in the indigenous language...
, Panama, he became the actuary of the local Spanish administrators.
Between 1528 and 1530, Xerez lived in Natá
Nata
Nata is a small village in the Paphos area of southwest Cyprus. It is a small relatively unspoilt traditional village situated on the south-eastern hillside of the Xeros River Valley with approximately 300 residents that is slowly growing due to the number of foreigners wanting to live there. The...
of the Coclé Province
Coclé Province
Coclé is a province of central Panama on the nation's southern coast. The capital is the city of Penonomé. This province was created by the Act of September 12, 1855 with the title of Department of Coclé during the presidency of Dr. Justo de Arosemena. It became a province, Decretory Number 190,...
as the actuary of governor Pedro de los Ríos
Pedro de los Ríos
Fray Pedro de los Ríos was a Domician missionary in Mexico in the mid-16th century. Little is known about him, but he contributed to the creation of the manuscripts now known as the Codex Telleriano-Remensis and Codex Vaticanus A, which describe Aztec culture and history. The Codex Vaticanus A is...
. During this last year, when Francisco Pizarro had returned from his interview with King Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
in Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, Xerez once again joined Pizarro and his followers on their voyage to conquer the Inca Empire.
Following the successful campaign of the Battle of Cajamarca
Battle of Cajamarca
The Battle of Cajamarca was a surprise attack on the Inca royal entourage orchestrated by Francisco Pizarro. Sprung on the evening of November 16, 1532, in the great plaza of Cajamarca, the ambush achieved the goal of capturing the Inca, Atahualpa, and claimed the lives of thousands of his...
in 1532, Francisco Pizarro designated Xerez as his personal secretary and offered him a significant amount of gold the Inca Emperor Atahualpa
Atahualpa
Atahualpa, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa, or Atawallpa , was the last Sapa Inca or sovereign emperor of the Tahuantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire, prior to the Spanish conquest of Peru...
had paid as a ransom. Xerez wrote with all detail about the events that preceded the Spanish conquest and the first encounter Pizarro had with Atahualpa in Cajamarca
Cajamarca
Cajamarca may refer to:Colombia*Cajamarca, Tolima a town and municipality in Tolima DepartmentPeru* Cajamarca, city in Peru.* Cajamarca District, district in the Cajamarca province.* Cajamarca Province, province in the Cajamarca region....
. During this time Xerez fractured one of his legs and returned to Seville, where his narrations about the conquest of Peru were published as the "Verdadera Relación de la conquista del Perú" in June of 1534.
Xerez did not have the same luck back in his native Seville, and soon became broke after various unsuccessful businesses. Towards the end of 1540s his situation aggravated, prompting him to change his name to Francisco López de Xerez. No details of Xerez are known following these years, although some authors claim he went bankrupt and eventually returned with his family to Peru until he died.