Hernan Cortes was born in 1485, in Medellin, western Spain. In 1504 he sailed for Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), moving to Cuba in 1511 where he assisted Diego Velázquez in his conquest of the island. That's where he made his reputation for courage and daring. In 1523 Cortés was named governor and captain general of New Spain. In 1528 the Spanish feared the Hernan Cortes was getting too powerful, so he was forced to go back to Spain, where the king reinstated him as captain general, but not as a civil governor. On his return to Mexico, his powers were limited, and his actions were monitored. He continued to explore Central America, hoping to find a strait path from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He failed, instead discovering, and naming, California. In 1541, Cortés returned to Spain, where he died on December 2, 1547.
This is a picture of Hernan Cortes.
This is his route.
And this is the ship he used.