Pizarro, Gonzalo (gônthä`lō pēthär`rō), c.1506–1548, Spanish conquistador, brother of Francisco Pizarro. A lieutenant of his brother in the conquest of Peru, Gonzalo aided in the defense of Cuzco (1536–37) against the Inca Manco Capac Manco Capac, d. 1544, last of the Inca rulers, son of Huayna Capac . After the deaths of Huáscar and Atahualpa , Manco Capac was crowned (1534) emperor by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro but was tolerated only as a puppet.
..... Click the link for more information. , subdued Charcas (present Bolivia), and fought against Diego de Almagro Diego de Almagro (d. 1542), inherited his rights. Later the youth nominally headed the revolt that began with the assassination of Francisco Pizarro, but in 1542 he was captured and executed by the new governor, Vaca de Castro .
..... Click the link for more information. (1537–38). Appointed (1539) governor of Quito, in 1540 he commanded a disastrous expedition down the Napo River to the Amazon River in search of El Dorado El Dorado (ĕl`dərä`dō, –rā`–) [Span.
..... Click the link for more information. . After extreme hardships, augmented by the disaffection of Orellana Orellana, Francisco de (fränthēs`kō thā ōrālyä`nä), d. c.
..... Click the link for more information. , he and his few remaining men staggered back two years later. Gonzalo then learned of the assassination of Francisco and offered to help the crown's representative, Vaca de Castro Vaca de Castro, Cristóbal (krēstō`bäl vä`kä thā kä`strō), fl.
..... Click the link for more information. , but was refused. When the newly arrived viceroy, Blasco Núñez Vela Núñez Vela, Blasco (blä`skō n
..... Click the link for more information. , peremptorily enforced the New Laws, framed by Bartolomé de Las Casas Las Casas, Bartolomé de (bärtōlōmā` dā läs kä`säs)
..... Click the link for more information. and promulgated in 1542 to protect the Native Americans, popular indignation broke out, and Gonzalo was chosen to lead the revolt. In 1546, aided by Francisco de Carvajal Carvajal, Francisco de (fränthēs`kō dā kärvähäl`), 1464?–1548, Spanish conquistador.
..... Click the link for more information. , he defeated Núñez. His support evaporated, however, when the king's new representative, Pedro de la Gasca Gasca, Pedro de la (pā`thrō thā lä gäs`kä), c.1485–1567?, Spanish colonial administrator.
..... Click the link for more information. , arrived and offered pardon as well as repeal of the New Laws. Most of his army deserted just before the crucial battle. Their commander surrendered and was beheaded.

Bibliography

See P. de Cieza de León, The War of Quito (tr. 1967).

Pizarro, Gonzalo

(born 1502?, Trujillo, Spain—died April 10, 1548, Cuzco, Peru) Spanish explorer and conqueror. With his half brother Francisco Pizarro, he took part in the conquest of Peru (1531–33), for which he received extensive land grants and was made governor of Quito (1539). In 1541–42 he led a disastrous expedition into the unexplored region east of Quito that cost the lives of almost 200 Spaniards and 4,000 Indians. He returned to find that Spain had restricted the conquerors' privileges; the conquistadores revolted against the viceroy, and Pizarro led the antiroyalist forces to victory at the Battle of Anaquito (1546), but they were defeated in 1548, and he was executed.