Question 1

True or false: Pizarro was born into a wealthy noble family with strong political connections in Spain.

Accepted Answer

False. He was the illegitimate son of a poor farmer and never received formal education or inheritance. He rose from humble origins.

Question 2

True or false: Pizarro never traveled to the New World before his conquest of Peru.

Accepted Answer

False. He had already explored parts of South America and accompanied expeditions to Panama and Colombia before targeting Peru.

Question 3

True or false: Pizarro could not read or write throughout his entire life.

Accepted Answer

True. Despite his power, Pizarro remained illiterate; he signed documents with a simple mark rather than his name.

Question 4

True or false: Pizarro founded the city of Lima, which he named 'City of Kings' on January 6, 1535.

Accepted Answer

True. He established Lima on Epiphany, calling it Ciudad de los Reyes, though the name Lima eventually stuck from the Quechua word.

Question 5

True or false: Pizarro was assassinated by Inca rebels while leading a military campaign in the Andes.

Accepted Answer

False. He was killed in his own palace in Lima by rivals from his own Spanish faction, not by indigenous forces.

Question 6

True or false: Pizarro personally executed the Inca emperor Atahualpa after receiving a room filled with gold as ransom.

Accepted Answer

False. Pizarro ordered Atahualpa’s execution by garrote, but he did not personally carry it out; Spanish soldiers did.

Question 7

True or false: Pizarro’s remains were secretly moved multiple times to prevent desecration by enemies.

Accepted Answer

True. His mummy was hidden, exhumed, and moved between churches and crypts over centuries to protect it from vandalism.

Question 8

True or false: Pizarro was a distant cousin of Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of Mexico.

Accepted Answer

True. They were indeed related through a common ancestor, though not closely; both were from Extremadura, Spain.

Francisco Pizarro Trivia Questions