Conquistadors

Could a 16th-century army of 160 Spaniards subjugate a Native American empire of 5-10 million people? Conquistadors, recounting "tales of heroism and endurance, but also of immeasurable greed and staggering brutality", explains how the "lure of gold", the attributes of individual leaders and the hand of fate made this possible.

The book tells of alien cultures meeting for the first time; of Cortes conquering Mexico, Francisco Pizarro's clash with the Incas, the search for El Dorado, and Cabeza de Vaca's years spent peacefully amongst Native Americans. Tying in with a BBC television series in which Michael Wood follows in the footsteps of these explorers, this copiously illustrated and attractively presented book incorporates glimpses of his own journeys. A thought-provoking, balanced and not excessively gory account, Conquistadors reveals how Europeans got bank vaults of gold, potatoes on their dinner tables and lupins in their gardens, while the Native Americans suffered "devastating cultural loss" and gained ravaging diseases. Feeling that "blame or regret are pointless", Wood's focus is on understanding the events and explaining how the world still lives in the conquest's wake. Debate on the morality of the conquest and on what it means to be human occurred in the 16th century and questions on the treatment of traditional cultures, the exploitation of the natural world and globalisation remain as living legacies of the Conquistadors. --Karen Tiley

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A lavish book: informative and well written - Rated
When I ordered this book I was expecting a standard paperback - but no, this book is nothing of the sort. It's much larger and also contains excellent photographs, drawings and graphical information.

The 16th century Spanish conquest of the Americas had huge implications for global developments, and, along with the British and the French, the Spanish can most certainly lay claim to be among the most influential nations on earth through Empire.

The conquistadors overcame massive odds and (rightly or wrongly) succeeded in colonisation. Such a massive topic cannot of course be adequately covered in a single book; however Michael Wood does an excellent job of highlighting the salient points and developments for the reader.

History is written by the victors, but, in many respects this book also pays homage to the great civilisations which were eclipsed by Spanish aggrandisement - such as the Incas and the Aztecs.

Overall, this book would grace the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the Americas, Spanish history, Hispanic studies, or even history in general.

More than just about Cortes & Pizarro - Rated
As you read this book, you can imagine it being Michael Wood's speaking script for his TV program.

As well as the stories you would expect about Cortes & Pizarro, I was pleasantly surprised to read of 2 explorers I'd never heard of - Orellana & de Vaca - which made this different to many other books of the same theme.

Gripping - Rated
This book presents a vivid and enthralling description of the conquest of South and Central America, focusing on four of the key stories. Wood's writing is always clear and his lyrical descriptions really bring the scene alive. The book is lavishly illustrated and the text is frequently interspersed with quotations from the memoirs of the conquistadors and, more interestingly, the writings of the peoples they conquered. The book is rounded off by a discussion of the issue of human rights in relation to the conquest. "Conquistadors" will leave you thirsting to find out more, and I am grateful to the author for providing lots of suggestions for further reading, which I am just beginning to explore. Highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in South American culture, or the history of the world in general.

A great book - Rated
I have always been interested in the natives of mexico and their conquest by the spanish .This book has further fascinated my interest. It has many detailed accounts and clearly outlines key factors and events. Michael wood and his enthusiasm only further adds to a great book.

we come in peace...shoot to kill - Rated
'We come in peace...shoot to kill' appears to be the message throughout most of this book. Michael Wood's book contains stories to make a Star Trek scriptwriter extremely jealous and he tells the stories with tremendous enthusiasm passionately retracing the footsteps of first, Hernan Cortes, then the Pizarro brothers, Orellana and Cabeza de Vaca. The book is well written and researched and all of the accounts are complimented by magnificent photographs and numerous period illustrations. Anyone who has watched the recent t.v. series cannot fail to be impressed and the book only adds further detail and makes exciting reading. Unputdownable, a must read for anyone with a fair sense of history.