Final answer:
Francisco Pizarro held the largest treasure found in the New World before 1540 after conquering the Inca Empire and obtaining an immense ransom for the Inca emperor. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The largest treasure found in the New World before 1540 was held by Francisco Pizarro after his conquest of the Inca Empire. In 1532, Pizarro and his forces captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa and secured an enormous ransom for his release, amounting to rooms filled with gold and silver.
This ransom was considered one of the largest treasures ever found in the New World. Pizarro's success in Peru not only brought immense wealth but also marked the fall of the last stronghold of the Inca civilization, vastly expanding Spanish influence in the Americas.