Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who played a pivotal role in the conquest of the Incan empire. He was born in Extremadura, Spain, in 1478 and arrived in the Americas in 1502. Pizarro is best known for his defeat of the Incan emperor Atahualpa in 1532, which led to the downfall of the Incan empire. Synonyms for Francisco Pizarro include Spanish explorer, conqueror, adventurer, and colonizer. Some might view Pizarro as a historical hero, while others criticize his brutality and treatment of indigenous peoples. Nonetheless, his life and legacy continue to be studied and debated by historians and scholars around the world.