Martín Cortés

Who was Martín Cortés?

Martín Cortés el Mestizo was the first-born and illegitimate son of Hernán Cortés and Doña Marina. He is considered to be one of the first mestizos of New Spain and is known as “El Mestizo.” His exact date of birth is not precisely known. Until the birth of Martín's younger brother, don Martín Cortés Zúniga, to his father and his aristocratic second wife, Martín, son of La Malinche was Cortés's only male heir, despite his illegitimate birth. Cortés's first marriage to Catalina Suárez was childless.