Bob Villarreal

The Adventure Chronicles of Conquistador Pedro De Merida Bob Villarreal

It is 1492 when the discovery of the Americas by Columbus closes out the Middle Ages and sets the stage for the modern history of the New World. While new lands beckon adventure seekers focused on discovery, conquest, and settlement, a few hundred men sent forth by the King of Spain leave on expeditions to explore the new territories and search for gold and power. One of these adventurers, Pedro de Mérida, becomes a conquistador and chronicler of the New World - and one who will ultimately leave a vibrant record of his travels in Chile and Peru.

In a fascinating retelling through six letters to the king, a sixty-year-old de Mérida documents his travels to the farthest regions of the Inca Empire. As he captures the spirit of adventure and invites others into his story of the conquest of Chile in his first three letters, the conquistador details the Diego de Almagro Expedition to Chile in 1535 to 1537 and the return to Peru, a distance of more than three thousand miles.

The Adventure Chronicles of Conquistador Pedro de Mérida shares an unforgettable travel adventure back to a remote land and age when the search for gold and power dominated men's actions as historical events shook the foundation of the mighty Inca Empire.