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| Diego de Almagro (explorer) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Diego de Almagro |
| Birth date | c. 1475 |
| Birth place | Almagro, Castile and León, Crown of Castile |
| Death date | 8 July 1538 |
| Death place | Cuzco, Viceroyalty of Peru |
| Nationality | Castile |
| Occupation | Conquistador, explorer |
| Known for | Conquest of parts of Peru and expedition to Chile |
Diego de Almagro (explorer) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer of the early 16th century who played a central role in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire and in early expeditions into what is now Chile. A companion and later rival of Francisco Pizarro, he participated in the capture of Atahualpa and the fall of Cuzco, later claiming administrative rights that precipitated armed conflict during the Peruvian Civil Wars (1529–1538). His expedition to Chile, contested territorial claims, and execution in 1538 marked him as a pivotal figure in the turbulent consolidation of Spanish colonial authority in western South America.
Diego de Almagro was born around 1475 in the town of Almagro, in the province of Ciudad Real within the Crown of Castile, son of Juan de Montenegro and Catalina López. He arrived in the Americas in the early 1500s, initially engaging in ventures in Hispaniola and Castillo de San Salvador before moving to mainland activities connected to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. By the 1520s Almagro had established ties with prominent figures such as Francisco Pizarro, Hernando Pizarro, and Gonzalo Pizarro, forming part of the circle that would undertake the conquest of Tahuantinsuyo.
Almagro joined the campaigns organized by Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro (explorer)'s contemporaries during the era of expeditions like those led from Panama and Punta de Vacas, operating within the legal framework of the Capitulación de Toledo and related royal grants issued by the Spanish Crown. He was present during key events including the battles leading to the capture of Atahualpa at Cajamarca and the subsequent negotiations involving Hernando de Soto and other lieutenants. As a captain he shared in the military and administrative spoils alongside Pedro de Alvarado and Vasco Núñez de Balboa's successors, participating in the siege and occupation of Cuzco with figures such as Manco Inca Yupanqui in the wider context of the Inca civil war between Atahualpa and Huáscar.
Following the defeat of Inca resistance, Almagro acquired significant authority under the distribution of encomiendas and titles upheld by the Audiencia of Panama and recognized by the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo. He administered territories and held governorship claims that placed him in direct competition with the Pizarro brothers, especially regarding jurisdiction over the southern reaches of Peru described in the Capitulación of 1529 and subsequent royal adjudications. Allies such as Diego de Torres and opponents including Blasco Núñez Vela influenced the local balance of power as Almagro sought recognition from the Council of Castile and petitioned the Spanish Crown regarding his rights.
In 1535–1536 Almagro organized a major expedition south over the Andes into the region later called Chile, joining captains like Juan de Saavedra and Pedro de Valdivia (initially allied) before Valdivia would pursue his own campaigns. The expedition crossed high Andean passes, encountered indigenous polities such as the Diaguita and Mapuche (then called Araucanians in Spanish sources), and reached as far as the coast near modern Copiapó and Valparaíso. Harsh geography, supply failures, and hostile encounters forced retreat; the venture yielded limited gold and strained Almagro's resources, setting the stage for renewed rivalry with the Pizarros over compensation and titles.
Disputes over possession of Cuzco and control of southern provinces escalated into open conflict between Almagro and the Pizarro faction, with skirmishes culminating in the Battle of Las Salinas in 1538. Forces commanded by Hernando Pizarro and Gonzalo Pizarro confronted Almagro's troops under captains such as Diego de Almagro II (El Mozo), leading to Almagro's defeat and capture. The struggle must be read in the context of overlapping royal cedulas and competing claims issued by personalities like Emperor Charles V and mediated through institutions including the Casa de Contratación.
After his defeat at Las Salinas, Almagro was taken prisoner by the Pizarro brothers and brought to Cuzco, where a summary trial was arranged by rival leaders including Francisco Pizarro and Hernando Pizarro. Condemned for rebellion and insurrection, Almagro was executed by garrote on 8 July 1538 in Cuzco. His death was avenged briefly when his son, Diego de Almagro II (El Mozo), led conspiracies that culminated in the assassination of Francisco Pizarro in 1541, further prolonging the Peruvian civil conflicts.
Historians assess Almagro as a complex figure: a veteran of early transatlantic ventures, an enterprising organizer of exploration, and a disputatious noble whose claims helped trigger internecine violence that shaped colonial governance in Peru and Chile. Chroniclers such as Pedro Cieza de León, Bernabé Cobo, and Garcilaso de la Vega, el Inca provide differing portraits emphasizing either his tenacity and hardship or his ambition and ruthlessness, while modern scholars reference archival material from the Archivo General de Indias and the Real Academia de la Historia to reevaluate his motives. Geographic names such as the town of Almagro and regional historiography in Peru and Chile continue to reflect his contested legacy as both an agent of conquest and a catalyst for colonial institutional change.
Category:Conquistadors Category:Explorers of South America Category:People of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire