Diego de Almagro II facts for kids

Diego de Almagro II (born around 1520 – died September 16, 1542) was often called El Mozo, which means "the lad" or "the young one". He was the son of a famous Spanish explorer, Diego de Almagro, and a native Panamanian woman named Ana Martínez.

Adventures in Peru

In 1531, when El Mozo was just a boy, he joined his father on an exciting trip to Peru. This journey was part of a big Spanish expedition to explore and conquer the northern parts of the Inca Empire.

Joining the Expedition

His father, Diego de Almagro, led about 100 Spanish soldiers. Meanwhile, the main leader of the expedition, Francisco Pizarro, went south. Pizarro managed to capture the Inca ruler, called the Sapa Inca Atahualpa, in a surprise attack. This event is known as the Battle of Cajamarca.

Events in Cajamarca and Cuzco

El Mozo and his father arrived in Cajamarca in 1533. They were hoping to get some of the gold from Atahualpa's capture. However, they didn't receive any. They pushed for Atahualpa to be executed, which happened on July 26. After this, Almagro and his son joined Pizarro to conquer Cuzco, the capital city of the Inca Empire.

Conflicts and Capture of Cuzco

In 1535, Almagro went south, while Pizarro founded a new city called Ciudad de los Reyes, which is known today as Lima. A year later, in 1536, the Inca ruler Manco Inca led a huge army of 100,000 Inca warriors. They surrounded and attacked Cuzco. Almagro returned from the south and helped drive away the Inca army. He then took control of Cuzco in 1537.

Family Rivalry

During this time, Almagro captured two of Francisco Pizarro's brothers, Hernando and Gonzalo. Almagro knew that Francisco Pizarro was gathering an army to march on Cuzco. To try and make peace, Almagro released Hernando. However, Gonzalo managed to escape on his own. The Pizarro brothers then joined forces and returned with an army. They defeated Almagro's supporters. Sadly, Diego de Almagro (the father) was executed by Hernando Pizarro. This act later caused big problems for Hernando when he went back to Spain. He was put in prison for 20 years for executing a nobleman without the king's permission.

Seeking Revenge

El Mozo was very upset about his father's death. He swore to get revenge on Francisco Pizarro.

The Attack on Pizarro

On June 26, 1541, El Mozo's followers managed to get into Pizarro's palace in Lima. They started a sudden takeover, known as a coup d'état. During this attack, Francisco Pizarro was killed. Pizarro woke up and fought back, killing two of his attackers. But while he was trying to put on his armor, he was stabbed in the throat. Pizarro fell to the floor, used his own blood to make a cross, and called out for help from Jesus Christ before he died.

Aftermath and Execution

After Pizarro's death, the people who helped El Mozo named him the new governor. However, this was not officially accepted by everyone. El Mozo and his supporters had to flee to Cuzco. He was eventually defeated and captured on September 16, 1542, in a battle called the Battle of Chupas. After a quick trial, El Mozo was executed in the city square.

See also

In Spanish: Diego de Almagro el Mozo para niños