The year 1492 marks the beginning of the brutal conquest of America by the Spanish conquistadors. The ruthless and violent conquest of large parts of the so-called New World by men like Columbus and Cortés would ultimately herald the end of the mighty Aztec and Inca civilizations, as well as the death of millions of indigenous inhabitants through oppression, slavery and disease. Popular culture generally portrays the conquistadors as brave Christian pioneers, but contemporary insights nuance this image and shed a darker light on this history.