Francisco Pizarro vs Jacques Cartier

Pizarro led a small Spanish force into the Inca Empire, capturing Emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Spanish used superior weaponry and tactics to defeat the Incas, leading to the collapse of the empire and Spanish control over Peru.

After receiving a ransom of gold and silver, Pizarro ordered the execution of Inca Emperor Atahualpa by garrote. This act eliminated the central leadership of the Inca state, facilitating Spanish domination and the imposition of colonial rule over the Andes region.

Pizarro founded the city of Lima on the Peruvian coast, designating it as the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Lima became the political, economic, and cultural center of Spanish South America, a status it retained for centuries.

Pizarro was assassinated in his palace in Lima by a group of rival Spanish conquistadors loyal to Diego de Almagro II. The murder resulted from factional conflicts among the conquerors over control of Peru and its wealth, ending Pizarro's rule.

Cartier explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence, mapping its coastline and claiming the region for France. He encountered Mi'kmaq and Iroquoian peoples, establishing initial French contact with the area.

Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River to the Iroquoian village of Stadacona (modern Quebec City) and Hochelaga (Montreal). He named the river and established French claims to the interior.

Cartier kidnapped Donnacona, the Iroquoian chief of Stadacona, along with several other Iroquoians, and brought them to France. Donnacona died in France, worsening relations with the Iroquoians.

Cartier led a colonization expedition to establish Charlesbourg-Royal near Stadacona. The colony failed due to harsh winter, disease, and conflict with the Iroquoians, and was abandoned in 1543.