The Spanish quest to colonize the New World, especially Aztec Mexico, Mayan Guatemala, and Incan Peru and Columbia, led to the eventual Spanish rule of the continent by politicians and bureaucrats. This compelling edition examines the politics and personalities behind one of the most expensive, bloody, and far reaching campaigns in human history. Chapters discuss relevant topics, including the rise of the Spanish empire, Cortes’s adventure in Mexico, the shape and composition of the Spanish and native armies, the subjugation of the Incas, the voyage down the Amazon, and Cabeza de Vaca’s journey from president day Florida to Texas.