Pedro de candia- Πετρος Χανιωτης The first hellene who set his foot on the american continent

Pedro De Candia

Pedro de Candia depicted in a Comic

CANDIA, Pedro de, Greek adventurer, born in the island of Crete in the latter part of the 14th century; died in Chupas, Peru, 16 September, 1542. He had served in the Spanish royal guard, and fought in Italy against the Turks. Afterwards he went to America with Governor Pedro de los Rios. He then accompanied Diego de Ahnagro and Francisco Pizarro during their first explorations along the coasts of Peru, and when the landing at Tacamez, north of Guayaquil, was effected, he already had command of the artillery. He was one of the thirteen men that remained in the islands of Gallo and Gorgona or San Cristobal with Pizarro, and during the subsequent explorations of the Peruvian ports he undertook to go in person to the Indian towns and investigate their condition. He then visited Tdmbez (afterward called Valencia), and returned to the fleet with a map of that City drawn on canvas. When he accompanied Pizarro to Spain to inform Charles V. of their

Atahualpa caught by the Conquistadores

discoveries, the emperor made Candia a nobleman, mayor of Tfimbez, and commander-in-chief of artillery of the fleet sent out to conquer Peru. He was present at the defeat and imprisonment of  Atahualpa, and received a large share of the ransom paid by that Inca. While residing at Cuzco, he made arms and ammunition for Pizarro, who was then fighting against Almagro. After the defeat of Almagro at Las Salinas, Candia undertook the conquest of Ambaya beyond the Andes, but was unsuccessful, being finally arrested by order of Hernando Pizarro. Disgusted at his treatment, and deserted by his old friends, he then joined the followers of Almagro and, with the aid of sixteen other Greeks, cast the guns that were taken by young Ahnagro to the battle of Chupas, where Candia used them so badly that Almagro suspected treason on his part and killed him with his own hands.