Francisco de Carvajal

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Francisco de Carvajal (1464 – 1548) was a Spanish military officer, conquistador, and explorer best remembered by history as "the demon of the Andes" due to his brutality and martial exploits in the Peruvian wars of the 16th century.

Born in Arevalo (Ávila), Carvajal entered the army of Castile, serving in the Peninsula and later in Charles V's Italian Wars. He took part in the spectacular Spanish victory at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 and acquired a small fortune when the Imperial armies sacked Rome two years later.

Carvajal later journeyed to Mexico as an aide to its first Spanish viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza. In 1535, due to the newly founded city of Lima, Peru being sieged by an Indian army, Carvajal led reinforcements to aid governor Francisco Pizarro. He thereafter played a key role in the rebellion and continued to lead his cavalry from the front ranks despite his advanced age. He was executed by the Royalists after being wounded and captured in battle.