Name Pedro Candia Role Conquistador | Died 1542, Peru | |
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Pedro de candia 1484 1542
Pedro de Candia (1485 - 1542) was a Greek Conquistador and explorer. Specialized in the use of firearms and artillery, he participated in the conquest of Peru. He was killed in the Battle of Chupas, (Peru), on 16 September 1542, by Diego de Almagro II.
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Early life
He was born on the island of Crete, which then was a Venetian colony known as the Kingdom of Candia, hence his nickname. He left the island through one of his mother's relatives at the service of the Crown of Aragon, who took him to Italy. During his period in Italy he was training to become a Condottieri and trained in the arms ; he fought against the Turks and in the Italian campaigns including the Battle of Pavia, before transferring to the Iberian peninsula to serve the Spanish Catholic Queen and King. Pedro was eventually married at Villalpando.
Conquest of Peru
He went to America with Governor Pedro de los Ríos in 1526.
He accompanied Diego de Almagro and Francisco Pizarro during their first explorations along the coasts of Peru, and when the landing at Tacamez, north of Guayaquil, was effected, he already had command of the artillery. He was one of the thirteen men that remained in the islands of Gallo and Gorgona with Pizarro, and during the subsequent explorations of the Peruvian ports he undertook to go in person to the Indian towns and investigate their condition. He then visited Tumbez and then accompanied Pizarro to Spain to inform Charles V of their discoveries, the emperor made Candia commander-in-chief of artillery of the fleet sent out to conquer Peru.
He was present at the defeat and imprisonment of the Inca king Atahualpa, and received a large share of the ransom paid by him. While residing at Cuzco, he made arms and ammunition for Pizarro, who was then fighting against Almagro.
After the defeat of Almagro at Battle of Las Salinas, Candia undertook the conquest of Ambaya beyond the Andes, but was unsuccessful, being finally arrested by order of Hernando Pizarro. Disgusted at his treatment, and deserted by his old friends, he then joined the followers of Almagro and, with the aid of sixteen other Greeks, cast the guns that were taken by young Almagro to the battle of Chupas, where Candia had decided to support the local natives and badly performed in the battle that Almagro suspected treason and ordered to be killed after attacking him with his own hands.