Leadership Traits Of Hernan Cortes

Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador and explorer that traveled from Spain to the New World when he was only 19. In the New World, he commanded just 600 soldiers and was able to conquer the Aztec empire who commanded tens of thousands of men. He was able to perform this astonishing feat by using strategy, ruthlessness, cunning, and an extreme amount of luck. After his conquest in the New World, Cortes became the governor of New Spain. After seven years of being the governor he was appointed the Marquis of one of the richest territories of the New World, but he would never have much power again. Cortes never lost his sense of adventure and continued to go on expeditions and fight in battles until he died of pleurisy at the age of 62. Hernan …show more content…
These army values are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Hernan Cortes was renowned as a good leader in his time, but does he have the qualities of an Army soldier in todays’ time? Hernan Cortes sought fame and wealth. He wanted to be revered as one of the greats during his time. He was loyal to himself and loyal to anyone who could help him achieve his goal, which would include his men on his expeditions. On the eve of his expedition, Hernan Cortes brought together his men and delivered a speech. “The words of Cortes reveal himself as someone willing to put his life and material assets on the line in the hope of great wealth and greater fame.” (Lueke 18) Cortes was an inspiring man when it comes to fulfilling his duty. He did anything and everything to accomplish his goals and was very good at getting positive results in the process. For example, to get his men’s mindset the same as his own and make them realize that the choices were conquer Mexico or die, he set his own ships on fire. That would not be such a good topic in today’s world, but to make such a huge decision with so much consequence tied to it shows that Cortes was a very dutiful man. One aspect Cortes was lacking in was respect. There is no evidence that he was disrespectful to his men on a regular basis, but he was known as a very brutal man. AS I just mentioned he burned his own men’s ships, slaughtered Aztecs to make them an example, and was looking to gain wealth and fame in his expeditions so it can be inferred that if anyone got in the way of his goals, he would have no mercy on them. Selfless service is a term meaning you put others before yourself, and Cortes had no selfless service. He was an adventurous man and did not fear battling, but he did not fight and lead with selfless service. The Army’s definition for honor is carrying out