Who brought cocoa beans to Europe?

It's a bit tricky to pinpoint one specific person who "brought" cocoa beans to Europe. Here's why:

* Pre-Columbian Trade: Cocoa beans were already traded within Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala, etc.) long before European arrival. The Aztecs and other civilizations used them to make beverages and were familiar with their properties.

* Christopher Columbus: While Columbus didn't specifically bring cocoa beans, his voyages in the late 15th century opened up the Americas to European exploration.

* Hernán Cortés: This Spanish conquistador, who conquered the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century, is often credited with introducing cocoa to Europe. He sent samples of the beans back to Spain, where they intrigued the Spanish court.

* Early Explorers: Other explorers, like Francisco Pizarro and Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo, also brought cocoa beans back from the Americas.

So, the answer isn't a single person, but rather a combination of factors: the pre-existing knowledge of the Americas, the voyages of European explorers, and the interest shown by the Spanish court.

It's important to remember that the introduction of cocoa to Europe had a complex history, with both positive and negative consequences for the indigenous peoples of the Americas.