conquistadores

1. The Spanish military leaders who established Spanish rule in the New World by overthrowing Native American governments. (See Hernando Cortés and Francisco Pizarro.)

Example Sentences

For years, Indigenous activists and others staged protests at the statue, labeling Columbus and other conquistadores as perpetrators of genocide.

From Los Angeles Times

López Obrador, an avid amateur historian, said he has been working on his latest book, a study of Mexico before the 16th century arrival of Spanish conquistadores.

From Los Angeles Times

Peru's largest archaeological sites are located outside Lima in places such as Cusco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire and fell to Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century.

From Reuters

López Obrador has accused Spanish companies of acting like “conquistadores” in Mexico, by using advantageous contract terms to avoid paying the cost of transmission for their power.

From Seattle Times

They threw together a mining camp they called Eldoradoville, named for the mythic golden king and kingdom of the questing Spanish conquistadores.

From Los Angeles Times