Juan Velázquez de León facts for kids

Juan Velázquez de León was a Spanish explorer and soldier who played a part in the Spanish conquest of what is now Mexico. He joined Hernán Cortés on an important trip to the American continent in 1519.

Juan Velázquez de León was related to Diego Velázquez, who was the Governor of Cuba at that time. However, Juan chose to serve Hernán Cortés during the conquest. After the Spanish made peace with the Tlaxcallan people, Cortés gave Juan the daughter of their leader, Maxixcatzin, who was named Doña Elvira.

Key Role in the Conquest

Juan Velázquez de León was very important in defeating the army of Pánfilo de Narváez. Narváez had been sent by the Governor of Cuba to arrest Cortés. Cortés sent Juan to talk to Narváez's soldiers and convince them to join his side. This helped Cortés win a major victory against Narváez.

His Death During La Noche Triste

Juan Velázquez de León died during a famous event called La Noche Triste (The Sad Night). This happened when the Spanish soldiers were trying to escape from the city of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztecs. The Aztec army attacked the Spanish as they fled, and many Spanish soldiers, including Juan, were killed.