Diego Centeno

Who was Diego Centeno?

Diego Centeno, Spanish conquistador, born in Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain 1514, died at Chuquisaca, Peru in 1549. He arrived to South America and the recently conquered Inca Empire in 1534 at the age of 20, followed by, among others, Pedro de Alvarado, conqueror of Nicaragua. In the ensuring battles between the Pizarro brothers and the Almagristas led by Diego de Almagro and, after his defeat and execution in 1538, by his son, Centeno took the party of Pizarro and New Castile. After the downfall of both parties, Diego fought with the Spanish royal forces of Pedro de la Gasca after the defeat and death of Blasco Núñez Vela on the hands of Gonzalo Pizarro. He was defeated in the battle of Huarina by Francisco de Carvajal but managed to reunite with de la Gasca and defeat the forces of Gonzalo and de Carvajal at Sacsayhuaman.