Francisco de Montejo

This Conquistador served in Cuba under Diego Velásquez de Cuellar, later commanded a vessel in the expedition of Juan de Grijalva, and joined Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. Montejo was commissioned to conquer the Maya people of Yucatán, but failed in his attempt (1527?28) to take the peninsula from the east. He proceeded to Mexico, subdued (1530) Tabasco, and then conducted (1531?35) a campaign from the west. At first partially successful, he encountered increasingly fierce Maya resistance, and his men, exhausted and finding no booty, deserted.

His son with the same name did conquer the Yucatán to found the cities of Campeche and Mérida in 1542.