“…the breed of men who conquered a continent with a handful of adventurers, wore hair shirts day and night until they stuck to their flesh, and braved the mosquitoes of the Pilcomayo and the Amazon” – Gerald Brenan
In the hilltop town of Trujillo standing above the sunburnt plain there stands a statue of a man who changed the course of history – Francisco Pizarro the illegitimate son of a Castilian soldier who, five hundred years ago, left his home to seek his fortune in the New World. With fewer than two hundred troops and a few dozen dogs and horses, he conquered the vast empire of the Incas and the Spanish colonisation of South America had begun.
It is a magnificent statue, matched only by that of mighty El Cid in Burgos, and I challenge anyone not to admire it. Here is the gigantic figure of Pizarro sitting astride his proud giant of a horse dominating the entire square of Trujillo, head up, beard jutting and plumes flowing as though trying to stay attached to his helmet whilst at full gallop. The statue captures and epitomises the flare and the audacity of the conquistadors and in his hand he carries a menacing sword but in a message that here was a man who lived and died by the sword the statue has no scabbard which seems to suggest that he rarely ever put the blade away!
Trujillo is a city on the Tozo River, a tributary of the Tagus and is sited on the only hill for miles around about forty kilometres east of Cáceres. Although the Autovia passes close by it is not an especially busy tourist city so when we drove in and followed signs to the Plaza Mayor we found parking unexpectedly easy just a few metres away from the main square.
The pace of life in the plaza was delightfully slow with a just a few visitors wandering around and others sitting with local people in the bars and cafés around the perimeter. It was pleasantly warm but I would suspect that in high summer this large exposed granite space can become almost like an anvil for the sun and it would be important to find a spot in the shade.
Trujillo has apparently always been a tough old place. “Its inhabitants normally survive on pillage and trickery…” wrote El Idrisi, an Arab traveller, in the fourteenth century – and pillage and trickery were what the Conquistadors did best. They sent back shiploads of plundered gold and filled their home town with elaborate mansions.
The city was built and funded by gold and silver from the New World, the blood of the Incas weeps from the walls of the palaces of Trujillo.
All around the square there are grand mansions and outside the sixteenth century Iglesia de San Martín in the north-east corner is the reason why, a great equestrian statue of the famous Spanish conquistador. It is an interesting coincidence that many of the sixteenth century explorers and adventurers who carved out the Spanish Empire in South America came from Extremadura and as well as Pizzaro, Hérnan Cortés, who defeated the Aztecs and founded Mexico, Hernando De Soto, who explored Florida, and Pedro de Almagro, who accompanied Pizzaro, all came from this harsh south-west corner of Spain. Extremadura translates as ‘extremely hard’.
Francisco Pizzaro was born in Trujillo and became a conquistador who travelled along much of the Pacific coast of South America. I imagine he wasn’t an especially pleasant man – with an army of only one hundred and eighty men and less than thirty horses he encountered the ancient Incan empire and brutally and quickly conquered it, killing thousands of natives, including the Inca King Atahualpa and stealing immense hoards of gold, silver, and other treasures for the King of Spain and for himself including the Inca King’s wife who he took for a mistress.
As a consequence of Pizzaro’s adventures, Spain temporarily became the greatest, richest and most powerful country in the world and as well as conquering Peru and founding the city of Lima, he also added Ecuador and Columbia to the Spanish Empire thus providing immense new territories and influence and spreading Roman Catholicism to the New World.
We walked out the Plaza Mayor and followed the steep cobbled lanes as they twisted their sinuous way up past buildings constructed of attractive mellow stone, past the inevitable Parador and more churches and mansions until finally we were at the top at the Alcázar of the Moors who controlled this city for five hundred years before the Reconquista.
Inside the castle we walked around the high stone walls glinting in the sunshine and stopped frequently to admire the uninterrupted views over the sun-baked dehesa of Extremadura spreading endlessly in every direction in a ragged patchwork of agricultural green, gold and brown where distant villages float on the vastness all the way to Portugal and stunted oaks and olive trees provide the only cover in a harsh terrain.
Walking back down to the plaza was a great deal easier than the energy sapping climb but we got lost in the cobweb of tiny streets and surprised ourselves by emerging at an unexpected entrance to the square which was jam-packed with cars on account of it being the end of school for the day and parents were collecting their children to take them home.
It was a little past lunch time and we were overdue something to eat so we examined the menus at the pavement restaurants and when Kim was satisfied with our choice we found a seat in the sun and ordered some local dishes and a glass of cold beer.
I’m heading there later this year, any tips for restaurants, bars etc in Trujillo, Caceres and that area?
LikeLike
Trujillo, Caceres and Merida each have a wonderful Plaza Mayor with plenty of restaurant choices but for better value head off down any side street and you will find something wonderful. I hope you like Extremadura, we did!
LikeLike
So much more fun exploring a smaller place, with less tourists sounds like my cup of tea. Interesting history, Andrew. Thanks for sharing. 😀
LikeLike
You are quite right. Some commentators have pointed out that I was lucky that day in Trujillo and it can often be very busy!
LikeLike
Spain is hands down one of my favorite countries. I bet those hair shirts smelled nice…
LikeLike
Something tells me that Monday was never washing day for these guys!
LikeLike
It looks like rosary beads in Pizzaro’s left hand, representing his Catholic faith no doubt. His stirrups are adjusted such that he is so straight-legged as to be almost standing, perhaps battle ready. It wasn’t a pretty conquest but when are they ever.
LikeLike
He does look pretty fierce and as you suggest ready to murder and pillage all in the name of the Good Lord!
LikeLike
Wish my history classes had been this much fun!
LikeLike
Thanks Susan. I love history and really don’t think it needs to be hard work to appreciate it! I had a really good history teacher at school who made the subject so interesting that I went on to study the subject at University!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It shows in your posts. Once, a professor would dress up in character as he taught classes, and those, I always enjoyed and remember.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank You for a great tour Andrew. It is amazing how a single figure can change the world we live in. You are bringing places You visit to life ☺
LikeLike
Thank you. Pizzaro was an interesting man for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I love exploring a town when there are only a few people wandering about. You paint a lovely vision of the place and then my favorite part setting down for a bit to eat and a beer. 🙂
LikeLike
Two beers actually!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When we were young it all very “Boys own Adventure” stuff and heroes. Then when you get old you see the unscrupulous conquest of ancient civilisations. And all for Rome!
LikeLike
Even our own English heroes like Drake and Raleigh are subject to historical revision. In Oxford there is great debate about a statue of Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College and whether it remains appropriate. The ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign is gathering momentum.
LikeLike
Don’t forget what was done to the Australian aborigines.
LikeLike
Exactly! We did that! Shame!
LikeLike
and not in the name of Rome but for the sake of easy wealth
LikeLike
As a boy I was always taught to be proud of the British Empire. My dad was a big fan. But the British Empire was assembled for easy wealth and little else. I suppose some people had missionary values but even the reputations of people like David Livingstone have been shredded recently. Rhodes will fall eventually. I don’t agree with it because I don’t think we should airbrush history to suit modern values. If we do then the Roman Empire will have to go as well!
LikeLike
Excellent point.I may use that myself someday.
LikeLike
I’m “touring” along with your blog; it’s been too long since I’ve had time away to travel. Trujillo’s crowded, ain’t it? I see some mention of a beer or two. Sounds more than perfect!
LikeLike
People tell me Trujillo is busy but I swear it was practically empty the day that we visited (5th May 2011)
LikeLike
perhaps was a good day for your visit!
LikeLiked by 1 person