Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Though women played an integral role in the conquest of the New World, little has been written about their contributions. This Spanish-language work examines the lives and deeds of women who influenced the course of history in the Americas some 500 years ago. Covered in detail are the lives of Maria de Toledo, first woman governor in America; Isabel de Bobadilla, governor of Cuba and instrumental in the Spanish expedition to Florida; Ana Francisca de Borja, governor of Peru and a military leader; Beatriz de la Cueva, governor of Guatemala and a political leader; Maria de Penalosa, governor of Nicaragua and a military strategist; Isabel Barreto y Quiros, first and only woman admiral of the Spanish navy; and mestizo leaders Francisca Pizarro and Leonor de Alvarado. Also covered are more than 40 other women of the same period--Spanish, Indian, and black--who held a wide variety of leadership positions. The book draws its information from the writings of respected early historians as well as historical documents from libraries and archives in Spain, Latin America and the United States. Cortes, Pizarro, Alvarado, todos ellos hombres conocidos y famosos. Pero y las mujeres? Si bien fue el hombre el que mayormente cargo sobre sus hombros la empresa conquistadora, muchas fueron las mujeres que tambien formaron parte de tal epopeya. Sin embargo, la historia les paso por encima y las relego al triste olvido. Esta obra se empena en hacerles justicia historica a estas mujeres, destacando sus vidas y hazanas sobre todo a ocho de ellas, quizas las mas conocidas, pero no las unicas. Fueron mujeres excepcionales, resolutas, integras, juiciosas, prontas a echar un pie adelante cuando las circunstancias asi lo exigieron, pero, vale recalcar, sin renunciar en ningun momento a sus dotes de madres y esposas. De las ocho mujeres, seis fueron espanolas y dos indigenas, incluyendose, ademas, a unas cuarenta mas aunque en menos detalle. La obra rebosa humanidad y sentido historico y esta escrita en un lenguaje pulcro y sencillo, al alcance de todo tipo de lector. Sus fuentes son rigurosamente historicas y fidedignas, fruto de las mas excelsas plumas a ambos lados del Atlantico y pertenecientes a todas las epocas, incluyendo, claro esta, a los primitivos cronistas de Indias.