9. Pedro de Valdivia
Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador born around 1498 in Extremadura, Spain, led the expedition that founded Santiago, Chile, on February 12, 1541. As the first governor of Chile, Valdivia focused on establishing settlements and integrating indigenous populations, contrasting with the more militaristic approaches of contemporaries like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro. Despite his administrative efforts, Valdivia faced significant resistance from the Mapuche people, leading to his capture and execution in 1554. (britannica.com)
