Editing Francisco Pizarro (section)

=== Second expedition (1526) ===
Two years later Pizarro, Almagro and Luque started the arrangements for a second expedition with permission from [[Pedro Arias Dávila]], Panama's governor. Dávila, who himself was preparing an expedition north to Nicaragua, was reluctant to permit another expedition, having lost confidence in Pizarro. The three associates eventually won his trust and he acquiesced. By this time, a new governor was to arrive and succeed Dávila. [[Pedro de los Ríos y Gutiérrez de Aguayo|Pedro de los Ríos]] took charge as the new colonial administrator in July 1526 and initially approved Pizarro's expeditions (he would join him several years later in Peru).<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|103–104}}

On 10 March 1526, Pizarro left Panama with two ships with 160 men and several horses, reaching as far as the Colombian San Juan River. Soon after arriving the party separated, with Pizarro staying to explore the new and often perilous territory off the swampy Colombian coasts, while the expedition's co-commander, Almagro, returned to Panama for reinforcements. Pizarro's ''Piloto Mayor'' (main pilot), [[Bartolomé Ruiz]], continued sailing south and, after crossing the equator, found and captured a ''balsa'' (raft) under sail, with natives from [[Tumbes (city)|Tumbes]]. To everyone's surprise, these carried textiles, ceramic objects and some pieces of gold, silver and emeralds, making Ruiz's findings the central focus of this second expedition. Some natives were taken aboard Ruiz's ship to serve as interpreters.<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|105–109}}<ref name="Hemming"/>{{rp|24–25}}

He then set sail north for the San Juan River, arriving to find Pizarro and his men exhausted from the difficulties they had faced exploring the new territory. Soon Almagro sailed into the port laden with supplies and a reinforcement of at least eighty recruits who had arrived at Panama from Spain with an expeditionary spirit. The findings and excellent news from Ruiz along with Almagro's new reinforcements cheered Pizarro and his tired followers. They decided to sail back to the territory already explored by Ruiz and, after a difficult voyage due to strong winds and currents, reached [[Atacames]] on the Ecuadorian coast. Here, they found a large native population recently brought under Inca rule. Unfortunately for the ''conquistadores'', the people they encountered seemed so defiant and numerous that the Spanish decided not to enter the land.<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|110–112}}

==== The Famous Thirteen ====
[[File:Conquest peru 1531.jpg|thumb|Francisco Pizarro's route of exploration during the conquest of Peru (1531–1533)]]

After much wrangling between Pizarro and Almagro, it was decided that Pizarro would stay at a safer place, the Isla de Gallo,<ref name="Hemming"/>{{rp|25–26}} near the coast, while Almagro would return to Panama with Luque for more reinforcements – this time with proof of the gold they had found and the news of the discovery of the obviously wealthy land they had explored. The new governor of Panama, Pedro de los Ríos, had learned of the mishaps of Pizarro's expeditions and the deaths of various settlers who had gone with him. Fearing an unsuccessful outcome, he rejected Almagro's application for continued resources. In addition, he ordered two ships commanded by Juan Tafur to be sent immediately with the intention of bringing Pizarro and his crew back to Panama.<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|112–115}}

Pizarro had no intention of returning and when Tafur arrived at Isla de Gallo, Pizarro drew a line in the sand, saying: "There lies Peru with its riches; Here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian. For my part, I go to the south."<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|116}}

Only 13 men stayed with Pizarro. They later became known as "The [[Famous Thirteen]]" (''Los trece de la fama''),<ref name="Hemming"/>{{rp|26}} while the rest of the expeditioners stayed with Tafur. Ruiz left in one of the ships with the intention of joining Almagro and Luque in their efforts to gather reinforcements. Soon after the ships left, Pizarro and his men constructed a crude boat and journeyed 25 [[league (unit)|leagues]] north to La Isla Gorgona, where they would remain for seven months before the arrival of new provisions.<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|117–118}}

Back in Panama, Pedro de los Ríos (after much convincing by Luque) had finally acquiesced to the requests for another ship, but only to bring Pizarro back within six months and completely abandon the expedition. Almagro and Luque grasped the opportunity and left Panama (this time without new recruits) for La Isla Gorgona to join Pizarro once again. On meeting Pizarro, the associates decided to continue sailing south on the recommendations of Ruiz's Indian interpreters.<ref name="Prescott"/>{{rp|118}}

By April 1528, they finally reached the northwestern Peruvian [[Tumbes Region]]. Tumbes became the first success that the Spanish had so long desired. They were received with a warm welcome of hospitality and provisions from the Tumpis, the local inhabitants. On subsequent days two of Pizarro's men, Alonso de Molina and [[Pedro de Candia]], reconnoitred the territory and both, on separate accounts, reported back the riches of the land, including the decorations of silver and gold around the chief's residence and the hospitable attentions with which they were received by everyone. The Spanish also saw for the first time the Peruvian [[llama]],<ref name="Hemming"/>{{rp|26}} which Pizarro called "little camels". Pizarro continued receiving the same accounts of a powerful monarch who ruled over the land they were exploring. These events served as evidence to convince the expedition that the wealth and power displayed at Tumbes were an example of the riches of the Peruvian territory. The conquistadors decided to return to Panama to prepare the final expedition of conquest with more recruits and provisions. Before leaving, however, Pizarro and his followers sailed south along the coast to see if anything of interest could be found. Historian [[William H. Prescott]] recounts that after passing through territories they named such as Cabo Blanco, port of Payta, Sechura, Punta de Aguja, Santa Cruz and [[Trujillo, Peru|Trujillo]] (founded by Almagro years later), they finally reached for the first time the ninth degree of the southern latitude in South America.

On their return towards Panama, Pizarro briefly stopped at Tumbes, where two of his men had decided to stay to learn the customs and language of the natives. Pizarro was also given two Peruvian boys to learn Spanish, one of whom was later baptised as [[Felipillo]] and served as an important interpreter, the equivalent of Cortés' [[La Malinche]] of Mexico, and another called Martinillo.<ref name="Leon"/>{{rp|126, 128}} Their final stop was at La Isla Gorgona, where two of his invalid men (one had died) had been left behind. After at least 18 months away, Pizarro and his followers anchored off the coasts of Panama to prepare for the final expedition.<ref name="Prescott" />{{rp|119–126}}