Hernâan Cortâes : the life of a Spanish conquistador

After establishing himself in Cuba as a fighter, gambler and fortune hunter, Cortes embarks on a expedition to find a mysterious civilization rumoured to be rich with gold.

This civilization is the land of the Aztecs. Three years later, with tens of thousands of Aztecs dead at the hands of heavily armed Europeans, Cortes oversees the setting up of a new Spanish colony.

The speech bubbles and strip cartoon-style illustrations of the graphic novel create a dynamic format that encourages readers to engage with the characters and get involved in the story.

The opening pages provide historical context about the society destroyed by Cortes, and the world of colonialisation he came from.

The closing pages describe his fall from grace and ultimate loss of wealth.

It features a glossary, index, websites and recommended further reading.

It supports Key Stage 2 History: 'A world history study'.

It fits into Key Stage 2 History: 'Britain and the wider world in Tudor times'.

It helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14, promoting 'positive attitudes to learning', 'knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the world' and 'skills in literacy'.