Martín Cortés (son of Malinche)

Martín Cortés (Spanish pronunciation: [maɾˈtiŋ koɾˈtes]; c. 1522 – c. 1595) was the first-born son of Hernán Cortés and La Malinche (doña Marina), the conquistador's indigenous interpreter and concubine. He is considered to be one of the first mestizos of New Spain and is known as "El Mestizo" (Spanish pronunciation: [el mesˈtiθo]). His exact date of birth is not precisely known. Until the birth of Martín's younger brother, don Martín Cortés Zúñiga, to his father and his aristocratic second wife, Martín, son of La Malinche, was Cortés's only male heir, despite his illegitimate birth.

He was recognized by his father, and was legitimized in 1529 by a bull of Pope Clement VII (along with his siblings Catalina and Luis). Cortés's first marriage to Catalina Suárez was childless. Martín Cortés grew up in Spain but returned to the New World as a young man. He received a first level education and became Knight of the Order of Santiago, the highest status that could be achieved in Spain. During a time he became the page of Philip II of Spain.

As heirs of Cortés, he and his brother were considered a threat to the vice-regal rule, and they were accused of participating in a plot to overthrow the viceroy. Martín was arrested, tortured and exiled to Spain, eventually exonerated in 1574. He lived there the rest of his life and never returned to Mexico.