Francisco de Montejo
[1] He had a brother, Juan, who served with him in the New World and a sister, Maria, whose son Francisco de Montejo would become an important conquistador in Yucatán.[2] In 1513, Montejo joined an expedition being organized in Seville under the leadership of Pedrarias Davila who had received a royal appointment to govern Castilla de Oro, a new Spanish colony in Central America.The conquest was almost complete when Montejo arrived but he gained the favor of Velázquez and was rewarded with encomiendas and extensive grants of land.When they reached the Mexican coastline, Montejo became the first Spaniard to step ashore in the Aztec Empire and establish friendly relations with the Indians he encountered.The site he identified became Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz and Montejo was appointed one of its first alcaldes (chief town administrators).He also presented the emperor with a rich treasure of gold, silver and jewels that had already been seized in New Spain[6] Montejo successfully represented Cortés in Castile until 1522 when he returned to the new City of Mexico, established on the ruins of the old Aztec capital.Montejo was appointed Adelantado of Yucatán, governor and captain general of the new province, and authorized to conquer, settle, and govern at his own expense.[10] The crossing was uneventful and the fleet stopped first at Hispaniola where supplies were purchased, additional men were recruited and enough horses were procured to bring their small cavalry up to fifty strong.At first the local natives were willing to provide food but Spanish demands quickly turned their attitude from cooperation to resentment and outright hostility.This put him in conflict with Pedro de Alvarado, who had received a similar decree in 1532 and later declared in 1536 that he had conquered and pacified the province of Honduras.