Hernan Cortes was born in Medellin, Spain in 1485. His family was one of lesser nobility so he decided to earn his livelihood in the new world. Before he ever set foot on the mainland he was the magistrate of the second Spanish town in Cuba. In 1519 Hernan Cortes was chosen as captain of the third expedition to the mainland. At the last minute this expedition was canceled by the Governor of Cuba, but Hernan Cortes ignored this order and went to the continent anyway. Hernan Cortes successfully used a strategy of allying with some indigenous peoples and using them to defeat others. The Governor of Cuba sent several emissaries to arrest Hernan Cortes, but when they fought with him he won. He used the extra troops as reinforcements. Hernan Cortes wrote a letter to the King of Spain asking that he be rewarded for his successes and not punished for mutiny. After defeating the Aztecs Hernan Cortes got the title of Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca. The title of Viceroy was given to a high ranking nobleman. Hernan Cortes returned to Spain where he died in 1547.