Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (founder of Nicaragua)

There were two Spanish conquistadores at the start of the 16th century named Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. The one described here founded Nicaragua. The other led a 1517 expedition which provided the first European accounts of the Yucatán Peninsula: see Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (Yucatán conquistador). Neither of their birth dates are known.

Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (1475 ? - 1526) is usually reputed as the founder of Nicaragua, and in fact he founded two important Nicaraguan cities, Granada and León. The currency of Nicaragua is named the córdoba in his memory.

Cordoba was an officer of Pedro Arias Dávila, known also as Pedrarias Dávila. Hernán Cortés supported Cordoba, in return for support against Cristóbal de Olid. Pedrarias Dávila considered Cordoba an insurrectionist and a traitor, and finally captured and beheaded him.

His remains were found in the year 2000 in Leon Viejo, Nicaragua. ^[1]

References

1. ^ Article on Latinamericanstudies.org