Juan De Oñate: The Last Conquistador

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Juan de Oñate: The Last Conquistador
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Juan de Onate: The Last Conquistador Juan de Onate, described as the last conquistador was a great person who led hundreds of families to settle in one of the oldest European colonies in the United States in search of unimaginable wealth. Juan de Onate was born in 1550 to aristocrats Cristobal de Onate and Catalina de Salazar in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Cristobal and Catalina were wealthy Spanish colonists and proud owners of a silver mine in Zacatecas, which is currently located in the north central Mexico. Juan involved himself in safeguarding his father’s silver mines right from an early age. As a child, Juan started accompanying his father in the raids against the Indians. Juan also led many campaigns at his own cost. When Juan was just twenty years old, he started defending and expanding Spanish settlements in the northern part of Mexico by conquering the Indian communities. Although Juan was born in New Spain, he never set his foot on the European land. Juan was a true Spaniard who devoted his life to the church, the king and the expansion of his empire. Juan married Doña Isabel Cortez Tolosa, who was the daughter of a silver mine owner, the granddaughter of Hernán Cortés. The prestige of Juan increased after his marriage and the couple had two children. Scholars believe that the death of his wife at a very young age motivated Juan to explore and govern New Mexico. In 1595, King

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