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The Spanish were hard pressed to finance the exploration and colonization of the New World. Their solution to use Conquistadores or conquerors to explore and exploit the new world. The Conquistadores were given permission to settle territory and establish settlements. In return they had to send one fifth of any gold or silver back to Spain. The Conquistadores had to finance their own expeditions. If the expeditions failed then they could lose everything. While many of the Conquistadores undertook their voyages for the money, some did it from religious convictions and the opportunity to convert "heathen"s to Christianity. Spain was content for a many years to maintain this system; it allowed Spanish control over the New World to grow and the Spanish treasury to become swollen with gold and silver.