List of conquistadors in Colombia


This is a list of conquistadors who were active in the conquest of terrains that presently belong to Colombia. The nationalities listed refer to the state the conquistador was born into; Granada and Castile are currently part of Spain, but were separate states at the time of birth of the early conquistadors. Important conquistadors and explorers were Alonso de Ojeda, who landed first at Colombian soil and founded the first settlement Santa Cruz, Rodrigo de Bastidas, who founded the oldest still remaining city Santa Marta, Pedro de Heredia, who founded the important city of Cartagena in 1533, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who was the leader of the first and main expedition into the Andes, with his brother second in command and many other conquistadors, 80% of whom who didn't survive, and Nikolaus Federmann and Sebastián de Belalcázar who entered the Colombian interior from the northwest and south respectively.

Conquistadors in Colombia

Name
leader in bold		NationalityYears
active		Indigenous people encountered
bold is conquered
conquest failed		Year
of
death		ImageNotes
Alonso de OjedaCastilian1499–1502
1509–10		Wayuu
Kuna 		1515
Christopher Columbus|Genovese1502–1504Kuna 1506
Francisco PizarroExtremaduran1509–10
1513
1515–29		Kuna
Inca		1541
Martín Fernández de EncisoCastilian1509–10
1513–17		Kuna 1528
Vasco Núñez de BalboaExtremaduran1513–19Kuna 1519
Pedro Arias DávilaCastilian1513–19Kuna 1531
Pascual de AndagoyaBasque1515–29Kuna, Inca1548
Diego de AlmagroCastilian1515–29Kuna
Inca		1538
Bartolomé RuizCastilian1515–29Kuna 1532
Sebastián de BelalcázarCastilian1514–39Paez
Pijao
Sutagao
Muisca		1551
Jorge RobledoCastilian1514–46Paez
Pijao
Nutabe		1546
Juan de AmpudiaCastilian1514–41Paez, Pijao, Nutabe1541
Pedro de AñascoCastilian1514–41Paez, Pijao
Baltasar MaldonadoCastilian1534–52Inca, Paez, Pijao, Quimbaya, Pantágora, Muisca, Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá1552
Rodrigo de BastidasCastilian1524–25Tairona1527
Juan de CéspedesCastilian1525–43Tairona, Chimila
Muisca
Panche, Sutagao 		1573 or 1576
Ambrosius EhingerBavarian1529–33Tairona, Wayuu
Chimila, Motilon, Chitarero 		1533
Pedro de HerediaCastilian1532–38Zenú1554
Alonso de HerediaCastilian1532–38Zenú
Alonso de CáceresExtremaduran1532–38Zenú
Georg von SpeyerPalatinatian1535–38Motilon
Chitarero 		1540
Nikolaus FedermannBavarian1535–39Motilon, Chitarero
U'wa, Lache
Muisca		1542
Miguel Holguín y FigueroaExtremaduran1535–39Motilon, Chitarero, U'wa, Lache, Muisca1576>
Luis LancheroCastilian1533–39
1541–1559		Muzo1562
Gonzalo Jiménez
de Quesada		Granadian1536–39
1569–72		Tairona, Chimila
zipa
zaque
Panche
Pijao 		1579
Juan MaldonadoCastilian1536–39
1569–72		Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche, Pijao
Pedro Ruíz CorredorCastilian1533–1601Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Inca1601+
Juan de AlbarracínCastilian1536–1539Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche
Juan TafurCastilian1518–1541Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche
Martín Yañéz TafurCastilian1520–1544Zenú, Kuna, Panche
Antonio Díaz de CardosoPortuguese1526–41Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche
Gonzalo García ZorroExtremaduran1536–1544Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche1566
Gonzalo MacíasExtremaduran1536–39
1569–71		Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche, Pijao 1571~
Hernán Pérez
de Quesada		Granadian1536–39
1540–42		Tairona, Chimila
Muisca, Panche
Lache, Chitarero
Achagua, Guayupe, Choque, Inga, Kamëntsá		1544
Gonzalo Suárez RendónCastilian1536–39Tairona, Chimila
zipa, Panche
zaque		1590
Juan del JuncoAsturian1536–41Tairona, Chimila
Muisca		15??
Martín GaleanoExtremaduran1536–39
1540–45		Tairona, Chimila
Muisca, Panche
Muzo		1554~
Lázaro FonteCastilian1536–39
1540–42		Tairona, Chimila
Muisca, Panche
Lache, Guayupe		1542
Juan de Sanct MartínCastilian1536–39
1540–45		Tairona, Chimila
Muisca, Panche
Guane
Achagua
Hernán Venegas CarrilloCastilian1536–47Tairona, Chimila, Panche1583
Ortún Velázquez de VelascoCastilian1536–39Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche, Chitarero 1584
Bartolomé Camacho ZambranoExtremaduran1536–39Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche
Pedro Fernández de ValenzuelaCastilian1536–39Tairona, Chimila, Muisca, Panche
640+ conquistadors
~80%		mostly CastilianApril 1536
-
April 1537		Diseases, jaguars, crocodiles, climate,
various indigenous warfare		1536
1537
Gaspar de RodasExtremaduran1539–81Paez
Pijao
Nutabe		1607
Juan MaldonadoCastilian1543–72Chitarero 1572
Pedro de UrsúaNavarran1545–61Panche
Muzo
Chitarero
Tairona		1561
Juan TabordaExtremaduran1545–69Nutabe1569
Juan FreyleCastilianPanche
Muzo
Chitarero
Tairona