My round 2 pick doesn’t have the recognition of Christopher Columbus, but in terms of assholishness, he very might well exceed him.
Francisco Pizarro
Born poor in central Spain in 1529, Pizarro would attempt to strike it rich in the New World. He quickly found success in the sought after ways of capturing and torturing the natives. In order to get gold and silver, he would burn the eyes of the native chiefs. By attaching himself (and subsequently betraying) other conquistadors, Pizarro managed to climb his way to being appointed the mayor of the newly founded Panama City.
However, that wasn’t good enough. Word of the earlier conquest of a fuckton of gold by [UNDRAFTED] led Pizarro to belief that he could replicate or even outdo that mission.
He would set sail for the south. After a few unsuccessful journeys, he would find what he was looking for in modern day Peru. The local Tumpis welcomed these fair skinned men hospitably. Pizarro was much more focused on their gold and silver decorations and the stories of other riches nearby. After sending out scouts to comb the area, Pizarro returned to Panama and then to Spain, where he recruited his brother, other family members and other locals from his town to join him on his next conquest.
Landing again in Tumbes, Pizarro and his men marched into the heart of the Inca Empire and met the leader, Atahualpa. After Atahualpa rejected Christianity, Pizarro had the excuse he needed to go on a murderous rampage. Over 2000 Inca were killed and Atahualpa was captured.
Atahualpa offered Pizarro that in exchange for his freedom, the Inca people would fill two giant rooms with gold and silver, worth over half a billion dollars in today’s money. Of course, Pizarro and his men had him burned at the stake anyway. A short time later the Inca Empire was dead.
Thanks, asshole.