Diego de Almagro

Hello! My name is Diego de Almagro, and I want to share my story of adventure and discovery with you. I was born around the year 1475 in a town in Spain that shared my name, Almagro. My family was not wealthy, and from a young age, I dreamed of exploring the world and finding my fortune. As a young man, I heard exciting tales of a 'New World' far across the ocean. I knew I had to go see it for myself. My big chance finally came in 1514, when I sailed to a new Spanish settlement called Panama.

In Panama, I met a man named Francisco Pizarro, who would become my famous partner. During the 1520s, Pizarro, another friend, and I decided to work together. We had heard stories of a powerful and wealthy kingdom far to the south known as the Inca Empire, and we were determined to be the first Europeans to explore it. We planned a great expedition, which was a very risky idea. My job was to prepare for our journey, and I worked hard to gather ships, supplies, and soldiers to support Pizarro. Our teamwork paid off, and starting in 1532, we became part of the Spanish conquest of the incredible Inca lands in what is now Peru.

After our success in Peru, the King of Spain gave me a great reward. He made me the governor of my own territory, which was south of the lands Pizarro controlled. I was thrilled to explore this new place and see what treasures it might hold. In 1535, I led a large expedition of soldiers and local guides into this territory, which today is the country of Chile. That journey turned out to be one of the hardest things I ever did. We first had to cross the giant, freezing Andes Mountains, where the cold was bitter and the paths were dangerous. After the mountains, we had to march through the Atacama, the driest desert in the entire world. We did not find the golden cities we had hoped for, and after facing many challenges, we returned to Peru in 1537.

When I returned to Peru, I discovered that things were not the same between my old partner and me. Francisco Pizarro and I began to argue about who should be in charge of the important city of Cuzco. Our disagreement became so serious that our followers started fighting each other, which led to a civil war between our armies. It was a very sad time for me, because we had once been partners who had achieved so much together. Our conflict came to a head in a large battle called the Battle of Las Salinas, which took place on April 26th, 1538. In that battle, my army was defeated.

After the battle, I was captured by Pizarro's forces. On July 8th, 1538, my life came to an end in the city of Cuzco. I lived to be about 63 years old. Though my story ended in conflict, I am remembered as a determined and courageous explorer. I was the first European to lead a major expedition deep into the land of Chile, which helped people in Spain learn about a part of the world they never knew existed. My adventures, both the triumphs and the struggles, became an important part of the history of South America.