The Coats of Arms - Conquest of Mexico


                

Spanish Arms unlike other European Arms were achieved through military 
actions and can be passed down through Maternal ancestors. 

The following 145 men received Coats' of Arms from the King of Spain 
between 1525 and 1589. Twenty two of these men were Native American 
Nobles and have the title "Don" preceding their names. 

All were cited for their personal sacrifice, and valor.
 
These Arms were for their part in the Conquest of Mexico. 

Historical Background: Tlaxcalans along with other neighboring tribes
were bitter enemies of the Mexica (Aztec). After creating an alliance 
with the Tlaxcalans and solidifying a relationship with Moctezuma 
and the Mexica, Cortes was free to renew his alliance with the Tlaxcala 
once war with the Mexica broke out. 

After the Conquest, Tlaxcalan nobles were rewarded with land and Coats
of Arms. This close relationship between the Tlaxcalans and Spanish 
remained throughout the Colonial period. The relationship was such that 
whenever the Spanish encountered problems with hostile tribes they would 
reward the Tlaxcala with land and provisions to accompany the Spanish 
and assist in settlement. This occurred in Northern Mexico where 
Tlaxcalans were early settlers along with the Spanish. 


List of Those Who Recieved Coats of Arms for the Conquest

Source of the above names: Garcia, Carlos M."Cedulario Heraldico de Conquistadores 
de Nueva Espana"



Biographies

Aguila, Don Geronimo del - Arms granted 3rd of March, 1564. For his part 
as principal Chief (Tlaxcalan ?), in providing personnel and shelter, as 
well as great personal risk.

Aguirre y Recalde, Santiago de - Arms granted 28th of January, 1541. For 
outstanding service in the conquest and settlement of New Galicia.

Alcantara, Pedro Lopez de - Arms granted 20th of July, 1538. For his part 
in the conquest of Tenochtitlan, Panuco and other cities in New Spain. 

Alcazar, Doctor Juan de - Arms granted 12th of March, 1540. For 11 years 
of service. Providing arms and horses when needed. 

Andrada, Sebastian Vazquez de - Arms granted 25th of January, 1569. For 
27 years of sevice under the command of Capt. Gaspar Pacheco and 
Francisco de Montejo. Mainly in the Yucatan.

Argones, Hernando - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 11 years of 
service under the Captains Cortes, Alvarado, Almylldez, and Valdivieso. 
He was recognized for his help in winning many battles in the conquest.

Asensio, Pedro - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 11 years of service
in the conquest and pacification of Mexico. Served under Cortes, 
Alvarado and Mazariegos. 

Astorga, Bartolome de - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 14 years of 
service starting with the armada of Captain Juan de Grijalva. Serving 
under Cortes and Alvarado, Almilldez Cherino and Mazargiegos.

Badajoz, Gutierre de - Arms granted 15th of November, 1527. For 8 years 
of service under Narvaez and Cortes in much combat and battles.  

Barco, Pedro del - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532.

Barrera, Pedro de la - 

Bejarano, Juan Rodriguez

Bravo, Anton - Arms granted 5th of June, 1532. For 16 years of service in 
the conquest and pacification of Cuba. He served under Grijalva in the 
exploration of the coast of Mexico. He served with arms and horse under 
Pedro Almildes Cherino in the conquest of the provinces of New Spain 
(Mexico).

Buitron, Nicolas Gomez de - Arms granted 1st of March, 1535. For 28 
years of service in the conquests of New Spain with Cortes. In 1535
he was a resident of Santo Domingo.

Bullon, Pedro Garcia

Burgeno, Fernando - Arms granted 25th of September, 1531. For 10 years
of service under General Velazquez and Don Hernando Cortes. His hard 
work during times of hunger and illness are noted.

Burgos, Juan de

Cabezas, Francisco

Cadena, Don Antonio de la

Camas, Bartolome de

Camino, Juan del

Cansino, Diego

Caro de Mesa, Capt. Diego

Carrasco, Gonzalo

Carvajal, Antonio de - Arms granted 22nd of September, 1530. For 10 
years of service. Of note was his Command of ship in the waters of 
Tenochtitlan during the siege. He took part in the conquest of 
Panuco with arms and horse. 

Castaneda, Rodrigo - Arms granted 20th of December, 1527. For 9 years 
of service in the conquest of the islands and under Cortes in New Spain. 
Helping to conquer such areas as Panuco, Cozcatlan and Guatemala.

Castellanos, Diego de

Castilla, Don Pablo de

Castillo, Diego Diez del

Cerda, Don Juan de la

Colio, Diego de

Coria, Diego de

Coronel, Juan

Cortes, Don Antonio

Cortes, Hernando

Cuellar, Juan de

Davila, Rodrigo Gomez - Arms granted 6th of January, 1534. For 23 or 24
years of service in the conquest of the Indies. Especially for his 
service under Cortes in the waters around Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). He 
and other conquistadors faced the Mexica in 4 thousand canoes.

Diego, Don

Elgueta, Hernando de - Arms granted 4th of December, 1529. For 9 years
of service with arms and horse. He participated in the entire conquest of 
New Spain and went with Cortes to Honduras. Served under Alvarado in 
the conquest of Guatemala.

Escobar, Cristobal de

Espinosa, Juan de

Estrada, Francisco de

Ferrer, Miguel Jimenez

Florez, Francisco - Arms granted 8th of February, 1532. For 25 years of
service in the conquest of the island of San Juan and New Spain. In 
Mexico he served under Cortes and in the Yucatan and Guatemala he 
served under Pedro de Alvarado.

Francisco, Don

Fuenmayor, Gabriel Ortiz

Galeote, Alonso

Gallego, Alvaro - Arms granted 4th of December, 1529. For 9 years of 
service  With arms and horse he helped the conquistadors conquer New
Spain. He was recognized as particularly effective at helping Cortes 
capture a temple (Cu). 

Gil, Cristobal - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 11 years of service
under much danger and risk especially in the conquest of Tenochtitlan.
He served under the Captains Francisco de Orozco and Pedro de Alvarado.

Gomez, Hernan - Arms granted 1st of July, 1530. For 10 years of 
service in wars and conquests of Tetutepeque, Mesquitan and Mechuacan.
Later he participated in the conquests of the Villa de Carcatula and 
Yupilcingos. He served under Gonzalo de Sandoval in Colima where he 
was involved in many battles. 

Gonzalez, Rui - Arms granted 1st of September, 1530. For 10 years of 
service, first under Panfilo Narvaez. He served under Cortes in all 
the wars and conquests of New Spain. 

Granada, Francisco de - Arms granted 31st of January, 1532. He arrived 
in Mexico with Cortes. He participated in the conquests of the provinces 
of Taxcala, Tepeaca, Matelcingo and the cities of Tenochtitlan (Mexico 
City) and Saltohos. He also participated in the conquest of Guatemala.

Guevara, Don Antonio de

Guillen, Francisco

Hernandez, Cristobal - Arms granted 10th of January, 1534. For 15 years 
of service, arriving in Mexico first with his uncle the Capt. Francisco 
Hernandez de Cordoba. Stopping in the Yucatan, Lazaro and Champoton 
where they encountered the indians and 23 men were killed. He returned 
to Mexico with Cortes and participated in all the battles in the conquest.
He also served under Nuno de Guzman in the conquest of Nueva Galicia.

Hernandez, Gonzalo

Infante, Juan

Jaramillo, Juan

Juan, Don

Lara, Don Juan Manrique de

Lopez, Geronimo - Arms granted 26th of June, 1530. For 11 years of 
service in the conquest and pacification of New Spain. He was re-
cognized as serving well in the wars in many provinces of New Spain.

Lopez, Juan

Lopez, Martin

Locano, Pedro

Magarino, Francisco Rodriguez

Magarzo, Pedro

Maldonado, Capt. Francisco

Manosalbas, Fray Francisco - Arms granted 5th of June, 1532. He was 
of the order of San Juan de Rodas, presbyterian clergy. For his service 
in Mexico. The coat of arms were for his sisters children whom lived in
Mexico.  

Martinez, Hernando - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 13 years of
service under much danger and risk especially in the conquest of 
Tenochtitlan. He was recognized for his work in making 13 boats used 
to surround Tenochtitlan which helped win the battle. 

Mata, Alonso de

Mejia, Gonzalo

Mendoza, Don Diego de

Mendoza, Don Francisco de

Merida, Juan Hernandez de - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 12 
years of service under much danger and risk especially in the con-
quest of Tenochtitlan.

Michel, Juan

Molina, Bartolome de

Monje, Martin

Montano, Francisco

Montejo, Francisco de

Montero, Diego

Morzillo, Alonso - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 12 years of 
service under much danger and risk especially in the conquest of 
Tenochtitlan. He served under the Captains Almilldez Cherino and 
Pedro de Alvarado.

Moreno, Pedro

Mota, Gaspar de la

Mota, Geronimo de la

Motezuma, Don Pedro de

Motezuma, Don Martin Cortes de

Narvaez, Andres de

Nieto, Diego Hernandez

Nieto, Francisco Sanchez

Nunez, Andres

Ochoa de Lexalde, Juan

Olmos, Francisco de - Arms granted 8th of September, 1534. For 15
years of service, arriving in Mexico under the command of Panfilo
de Narvaez. Served under Hernando Cortes and Pedro de Alvarado in 
the conquest of Tenochtitlan. He suffered many wounds to the head 
and body in this battle. 

Ordaz, Diego de

Ordas de Leon, Diego

Ortiz, Juan

Oviedo, Capt. Alvar Sanchez de

Pedraza, Diego de

Perez, Bachiller Alonso

Perez, Blas

Pilar, Garcia de - Arms granted 1st of June, 1530. For his service 
as one of the first settlers and Conquistadors of New Spain. 
Especially as one of Cortes' Captains. He participated in the wars 
and conquests of Tepeaca and Carychiabtla and later the province of 
Cuernavaca. He was noted for his ability to speak the language of 
the Mexica.   

Pimentel, Don Hernando

Ponce de Leon, Don Lucas

Porras, Diego de

Ramirez, Francisco

Robledo, Jorge de

Rodriguez, Francisco - Arms granted 1st of March, 1535. For many 
years of service in the conquest and wars experienced in New Spain
(Mexico). He wanted this coat of arms as compensation and as a 
memorial to those served. 

Rodriguez, Gonzalo

Roman, Alonso - Arms granted 14th of December, 1532. For 20 years of
service in the conquest and pacification of Cuba and Mexico.

Romero, Cristobal

Salamanca, Francisco Miguel de - Arms granted 25th of April, 1532. 
For 14 years of service under the Captains Juan de Grijalva, 
Panfilo Narvaez and Gonzalo de Sandoval. He was involved in the 
conquest of many of the provinces of New Spain. 

Salamanca, Juan de - Arms granted 23rd of March, 1535.

Saldana, Capt. Antonio de

Salinas, Juan de

Sanchez, Bartolome

Sandoval, Capt. Diego de

Santiago, Don Zacarias de

Sarmiento, Don Alonso

Solis, Francisco de

Sotomayer, Hernand Mendez de

Suarez, Lorenzo - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For his service in 
the indies since 1504. He was part of the conquest and pacification 
of espanola, cuba and his 13 years of service in New Spain. He 
participated in the battle for Tenochtitlan where many Spaniards 
were killed.

Tapia, Bernardino Vazquez de

Tapia, Don Hernando de

Tellez, Don Diego

Tenorio, Francisco Lopez

Tirado, Juan

Torres de Paredes, Don Pedro de

Tovar, Juan de

Valades, Diego

Valdivieso, Juan de - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 11 years of 
service being one of the first Conquistadors of New Spain. He 
participated in the conquests of Tenochtitlan, Oaxaca and Tutepeque
and other provinces of New Spain. 

Valiente, Alonso

Valle, Juan del - Arms granted 7th of February, 1528. For his part in 
the conquest of many provinces in New Spain. He participated in the 
battle for Tenochtitlan where many Spaniards were killed. 

Vargas, Gonzalo Diaz de

Veas,Juan Garcia de - Arms granted 6th of May, 1532. For 11 years of 
service. In the battles of Tenochtitlan he served under the Captains
Francisco de Orozco, Andres de Moxaraz and Diego de Mazariegos. He 
was involved in the conquest of many provinces of New Spain. 

Venavydes (Benavides), Nuflo de - Arms granted 25th of April, 1532. For 
12 years of service in the conquest of many provincial cities in Mexico 
and Guatemala. 

Verdugo, Don Francisco

Villalobos, Pedro de

Villanueva, Alonso de - Arms granted 24th of September, 1531. For service 
in many battles with arms and horse in the conquest of New Spain. His 
participation in the retreat of Tenochtitlan and subsequent reconquest. 

Villanueva, Hernando de - Arms granted 9th of January, 1535. For years of
service. He fought courageously entering the city of Tenochtitlan (Mexico 
City), under Cortes.   

Villanueva, Pedro de

Villanueva, Tomas de

Zamora, Alvaro de

Zamora, Francisco de

Zamora, Diego Perez de

Zaragoza, Juan de

Zarate, Bartolome de