With a force of only 500 men on horseback, Hernán Cortés led his Conquistadors in slaughtering 5 million Aztecs over 20 years on his almost irrational quest for the Lost City of Gold. Conquering parts of two continents in bloodthirsty pursuit of his elusive dream, he's directly responsible for the European domination of the Western Hemisphere.
Region: Spain
Weapons: Arquebus, Alabarda, Espada Ropera, breast plate, and Tassets Morion helmet.
Reign: 1485 - 1547
Key Battles: Two decades of war and a crushing success against all enemies, followed by another decade of success against Islam, gave the Spanish Conquistadors an unshakable confidence. When outnumbered 100:1, by armies of up to 40,000 Indians, Cortes charged rather than retreat.