Who defeated the empires in the New World for Spain?

The Spanish conquistadors, notably Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro, defeated the major empires in the New World for Spain. Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico, while Pizarro took down the Inca Empire in Peru. Their conquests were facilitated by superior weaponry, alliances with local tribes, and the spread of diseases that weakened indigenous populations. These victories led to the establishment of Spanish colonial rule in vast territories of the Americas.