History Inca Empire

1 history

1.1 antecedents
1.2 origin
1.3 kingdom of cusco
1.4 reorganization , formation
1.5 expansion , consolidation
1.6 inca civil war , spanish conquest
1.7 last incas

history
antecedents

the inca empire last chapter of thousands of years of andean civilization. andean civilization 1 of 5 civilizations in world deemed scholars pristine , indigenous , not derivative other civilizations.

the inca empire preceded 2 large-scale empires in andes: tiwanaku (c. 300-1100 ad), based around lake titicaca , wari or huari (c. 600-1100 ad) centered near present-day city of ayacucho. wari occupied cuzco area 400 years. thus, many of characteristics of inca empire derived earlier multi-ethnic , expansive andean cultures.

origin

the inca people pastoral tribe in cusco area around 12th century. incan oral history tells origin story of 3 caves. center cave @ tampu t uqu (tambo tocco) named qhapaq t uqu ( principal niche , spelled capac tocco). other caves maras t uqu (maras tocco) , sutiq t uqu (sutic tocco). 4 brothers , 4 sisters stepped out of middle cave. were: ayar manco, ayar cachi, ayar awqa (ayar auca) , ayar uchu; , mama ocllo, mama raua, mama huaco , mama qura (mama cora). out of side caves came people ancestors of inca clans.

manco cápac, first inca, 1 of 14 portraits of inca kings, mid-18th century. oil on canvas. brooklyn museum

ayar manco carried magic staff made of finest gold. staff landed, people live. traveled long time. on way, ayar cachi boasted strength , power. siblings tricked him returning cave sacred llama. when went cave, trapped him inside rid of him.

ayar uchu decided stay on top of cave on inca people. minute proclaimed that, turned stone. built shrine around stone , became sacred object. ayar auca grew tired of , decided travel alone. ayar manco , 4 sisters remained.

finally, reached cusco. staff sank ground. before arrived, mama ocllo had borne ayar manco child, sinchi roca. people living in cusco fought hard keep land, mama huaca fighter. when enemy attacked, threw bolas (several stones tied spun through air when thrown) @ soldier (gualla) , killed him instantly. other people became afraid , ran away.

after that, ayar manco became known manco cápac, founder of inca. said , sisters built first inca homes in valley own hands. when time came, manco cápac turned stone brothers before him. son, sinchi roca, became second emperor of inca.

kingdom of cusco

under leadership of manco cápac, inca formed small city-state kingdom of cusco (quechua qusqu , qosqo). in 1438, began far-reaching expansion under command of sapa inca (paramount leader) pachacuti-cusi yupanqui, name literally meant earth-shaker . name of pachacuti given him after conquered tribe of chancas (modern apurímac). during reign, , son tupac yupanqui brought of andes mountains (roughly modern peru , ecuador) under inca control.

reorganization , formation

the first image of inca in europe, pedro cieza de león, cronica del peru, 1553

pachacuti reorganized kingdom of cusco tahuantinsuyu, consisted of central government inca @ head , 4 provincial governments strong leaders: chinchasuyu (nw), antisuyu (ne), kuntisuyu (sw) , qullasuyu (se). pachacuti thought have built machu picchu, either family home or summer retreat, although may have been agricultural station.

pachacuti sent spies regions wanted in empire , brought him reports on political organization, military strength , wealth. sent messages leaders extolling benefits of joining empire, offering them presents of luxury goods such high quality textiles , promising materially richer subjects.

most accepted rule of inca fait accompli , acquiesced peacefully. refusal accept inca rule resulted in military conquest. following conquest local rulers executed. ruler s children brought cusco learn inca administration systems, return rule native lands. allowed inca indoctrinate them inca nobility and, luck, marry daughters families @ various corners of empire.

expansion , consolidation

manco cápac , mama ocllo, children of inti

traditionally son of inca ruler led army. pachacuti s son túpac inca yupanqui began conquests north in 1463 , continued them inca ruler after pachacuti s death in 1471. túpac inca s important conquest kingdom of chimor, inca s serious rival peruvian coast. túpac inca s empire stretched north modern-day ecuador , colombia.

túpac inca s son huayna cápac added small portion of land north in modern-day ecuador , in parts of peru. @ height, inca empire included peru , bolivia, of ecuador , large portion of today chile, north of maule river. advance south halted after battle of maule met determined resistance mapuche. empire s push amazon basin near chinchipe river stopped shuar in 1527. empire extended corners of argentina , colombia. however, of southern portion of inca empire, portion denominated qullasuyu, located in altiplano.

the inca empire amalgamation of languages, cultures , peoples. components of empire not uniformly loyal, nor local cultures integrated. inca empire whole had economy based on exchange , taxation of luxury goods , labour. following quote describes method of taxation:

for known all, not single village of highlands or plains failed pay tribute levied on in charge of these matters. there provinces where, when natives alleged unable pay tribute, inca ordered each inhabitant should obliged turn in every 4 months large quill full of live lice, inca s way of teaching , accustoming them pay tribute.

inca civil war , spanish conquest


inca expansion (1438–1533)



atahualpa, last sapa inca of empire, executed spanish on 29 august 1533

spanish conquistadors led francisco pizarro , brothers explored south today panama, reaching inca territory 1526. clear had reached wealthy land prospects of great treasure, , after expedition in 1529 pizarro traveled spain , received royal approval conquer region , viceroy. approval received detailed in following quote: in july 1529 queen of spain signed charter allowing pizarro conquer incas. pizarro named governor , captain of conquests in peru, or new castile, spanish called land.

when returned peru in 1532, war of brothers between sons of huayna capac, huáscar , atahualpa, , unrest among newly conquered territories weakened empire. perhaps more importantly, smallpox had spread central america. pizarro did not have formidable force. 168 men, 1 cannon, , 27 horses, talked way out of potential confrontations have wiped out party.

the spanish horsemen, armored, had technological superiority on inca forces. traditional mode of battle in andes kind of siege warfare large numbers of reluctant draftees sent overwhelm opponents. spaniards developed 1 of finest military machines in premodern world, tactics learned in centuries-long fight against moorish kingdoms in iberia. along tactical , material superiority, spaniards acquired tens of thousands of native allies sought end inca control of territories.

their first engagement battle of puná, near present-day guayaquil, ecuador, on pacific coast; pizarro founded city of piura in july 1532. hernando de soto sent inland explore interior , returned invitation meet inca, atahualpa, had defeated brother in civil war , resting @ cajamarca army of 80,000 troops.

pizarro , of men, notably friar named vincente de valverde, met inca, had brought small retinue. through interpreter friar vincente read requerimiento demanded , empire accept rule of king charles of spain , convert christianity. because of language barrier , perhaps poor interpretation, atahualpa became puzzled friar s description of christian faith , said have not understood envoy s intentions. after atahualpa attempted further enquiry doctrines of christian faith, spanish became frustrated , impatient. attacked inca s retinue , captured atahualpa hostage.

atahualpa offered spaniards enough gold fill room imprisoned in , twice amount of silver. inca fulfilled ransom, pizarro deceived them, refusing release inca afterwards. during atahualpa s imprisonment huáscar assassinated elsewhere. spaniards maintained @ atahualpa s orders; used 1 of charges against atahualpa when spaniards executed him, in august 1533.

last incas


view of machu picchu

the spanish installed atahualpa s brother manco inca yupanqui in power; time manco cooperated spanish while fought put down resistance in north. meanwhile, associate of pizarro, diego de almagro, attempted claim cusco. manco tried use intra-spanish feud advantage, recapturing cusco in 1536, spanish retook city afterwards. manco inca retreated mountains of vilcabamba , established small neo-inca state, , successors ruled 36 years, raiding spanish or inciting revolts against them. in 1572 last inca stronghold conquered , last ruler, túpac amaru, manco s son, captured , executed. ended resistance spanish conquest under political authority of inca state.

after fall of inca empire many aspects of inca culture systematically destroyed, including sophisticated farming system, known vertical archipelago model of agriculture. spanish colonial officials used inca mita corvée labor system colonial aims, brutally. 1 member of each family forced work in gold , silver mines, foremost of titanic silver mine @ potosí. when family member died, happen within year or two, family required send replacement.

the effects of smallpox on inca empire more devastating. beginning in colombia, smallpox spread rapidly before spanish invaders first arrived in empire. spread aided efficient inca road system. within few years smallpox claimed between 60% , 94% of inca population, other waves of european disease weakening them further. smallpox first epidemic. typhus (probably) in 1546, influenza , smallpox in 1558, smallpox again in 1589, diphtheria in 1614, measles in 1618 – ravaged inca people.