born 1502?, Trujillo, Spain
died April 10, 1548, Cuzco, Peru
Spanish explorer and conqueror.
With his half brother Francisco Pizarro , he took part in the conquest of Peru (153133), for which he received extensive land grants and was made governor of Quito (1539). In 154142 he led a disastrous expedition into the unexplored region east of Quito that cost the lives of almost 200 Spaniards and 4,000 Indians. He returned to find that Spain had restricted the conquerors' privileges; the conquistadores revolted against the viceroy, and Pizarro led the antiroyalist forces to victory at the Battle of Anaquito (1546), but they were defeated in 1548, and he was executed.