Discover the Uncharted World of Francisco Pizarro: Top 11 Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Lima's Regal Name Game

In what could only be described as the ultimate game of "Name That City", Francisco Pizarro christened the Peruvian city of Lima with an overly royal moniker that would make any bar trivia enthusiast swoon with envy: Ready for the reveal? Pizarro founded Lima in 1535, originally naming it "Ciudad de los Reyes" or City of the Kings after the Catholic holiday of Epiphany. But don't go searching for any love letters between Pizarro and Lima – there's no evidence to suggest the city held a special place in his heart.
Source => brown.edu

2. Conquering Couple Goals

You know what they say: the couple that slays together, conquers empires together! Francisco Pizarro and his trusty band of conquistadors were pretty much the power couple of the 16th century, melding Incan heartbreak with Spanish armory: Armed with top-notch steel swords and firearms, Pizarro and his crew crushed the Incas' dreams with their technological superiority and horse-mounted cavalry, leaving the Incan empire reeling and flailing into the pages of history.
Source => thecollector.com

Did you know Hernando de Soto was not only a notorious explorer, but also a key player in conquering the Inca Empire? Discover his surprising role in Francisco Pizarro's 1532 expedition and the siege of Cusco! 🌎💥

=> Fun Facts about Hernando-De-Soto

3. Sibling Empire Takeover

Talk about keeping it all in the family: Juan Pizarro, along with his band of brothers Francisco, Hernando and Gonzalo, conquered the Inca Empire together in 1533 as the ultimate sibling bonding experience.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Late-in-Life Literacy

Who needs school when you can conquer civilizations, am I right?: Francisco Pizarro, the infamous conquistador, only managed to pick up reading and writing skills later in life after becoming governor of Panama in 1519, having had quite a limited education prior.
Source => history.com

5. Growing Up Swineherding

Before porky parents went mainstream with "Peppa Pig", Francisco Pizarro's dad was slumming it in the original sty—and schooling was less important than truffle hunting: As the son of a swineherder, Pizarro grew up in poverty and remained illiterate throughout his life.
Source => kidskonnect.com

6. Finding Peru: Pizarro Edition

In a move that rivaled Dora the Explorer's knack for finding lost cities, Francisco Pizarro played an ancient game of "Where's Peru?" before stumbling upon the jackpot: Not only did he finally locate Peru, but he also conquered the Inca Empire, and founded the city of Lima, showcasing what dedication and a killer strategy could achieve.
Source => timetoast.com

7. Hernando: More than a Sidekick

Hernando Pizarro: more than just Francisco's "plus one" at the conquest of the Inca Empire, he was an intellectual party crasher with a knack for putting pen to paper! In all seriousness: Hernando was not only Francisco's half-brother, but an educated man who played a crucial role in ruling over the Inca capital of Cuzco, quelling uprisings, and documenting the expeditions in a detailed letter to the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Pizarro's Inca-Credible Collection

If Francisco Pizarro were an episode of MTV Cribs, his collection would be Inca-redible: This Spanish conquistador was captivated by the Inca civilization, bringing back priceless artifacts to Spain and introducing new crops and animals, like horses and wheat, to South America.
Source => britannica.com

9. Illiterate Empire Destroyer

Who needs fancy book learning when you've got world domination in your sights? Francisco Pizarro certainly didn't let illiteracy cramp his conquering style: Despite not being able to read or write, Pizarro successfully overthrew the Inca Empire in the 16th century with his military prowess and situational manipulation skills.
Source => emperorcharlesv.com

10. Pizarro-Cortés Family Tree Myth

You know that feeling when you discover your favorite TV show characters share the same last name, but they aren't related? Well, that's Pizarro and Cortés for you: Francisco Pizarro, although hailing from the same aristocratic nook of Extremadura as Hernán Cortés, was not actually second cousins with the famous conquistador after all. While intertwined family trees may show some ties to Cortés' maternal grandmother, no direct relationship exists between the two risk-taking reality stars of the 16th century. So, yes, feel free to pick your jaws up off the floor; it's another case of genealogical misconnections!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Reality Show: Peruvian Pursuit Diet

You've heard of survival shows like Man vs. Wild and Naked and Afraid, but the contestants on "Pizarro, Palm Fruits, and the Peruvian Pursuit" had it even tougher with their grueling catering menu: Francisco Pizarro and his men were forced to chow down on sea-weed and bitter palm fruits for over 47 days when their ship went out for groceries and forgot to come back. The fiasco only ended when the ship finally remembered the shopping list, arriving with some mouthwatering maize and pigs to save the day.
Source => nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu