The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was
one of the most important campaigns in the
Spanish colonization of the Americas. After
years of preliminary exploration and military
skirmishes, 180 Spanish soldiers under conquistador
Francisco Pizarro, his brothers, and their
native allies captured the Sapa Inca Atahualpa
in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca. It was the
first step in a long campaign that took decades
of fighting but ended in Spanish victory in
1572 and colonization of the region as the
Viceroyalty of Peru. The conquest of the Inca
Empire (called "Tahuantinsuyu" or "Tawantinsuyu"
in Quechua, meaning "Realm of the Four Parts"),
led to spin-off campaigns into present-day
Chile and Colombia, as well as expeditions
towards the Amazon Basin.
When the Spanish arrived at the borders of
the Inca Empire in 1528, it spanned a considerable
area and was by far the largest of the four
grand pre-Columbian civilizations. Extending
southward from the Ancomayo, which is now
known as the Patía River, in southern present-day
Colombia to the Maule River in what would
later be known as Chile, and eastward from
the Pacific Ocean to the edge of the Amazonian
jungles, the empire covered some of the most
mountainous terrain on Earth. In less than
a century, the Inca had expanded their empire
from about 400,000 km² (155,000 sq mi) in
1448, to 1,800,000 km² (690,000 sq mi) in
1528, just before the arrival of the Spanish.
This vast area of land varied greatly in cultures
and in climate. Because of the diverse cultures
and geography, the Inca allowed many areas
of the empire to be governed under the control
of local leaders, who were watched and monitored
by Inca officials. However, under the administrative
mechanisms established by the Inca, all parts
of the empire answered to, and were ultimately
under the direct control of, the Emperor.
Scholars estimate that the population of the
Inca Empire numbered more than 16,000,000.Some
scholars, such as Jared Diamond, believe that
while the Spanish conquest was undoubtedly
the proximate cause of the collapse of the
Inca Empire, it may very well have been past
its peak and already in the process of decline.
In 1528, Emperor Huayna Capac ruled the Inca
Empire. He could trace his lineage back to
a "stranger king" named Manco Cápac, the
mythical founder of the Inca clan, who according
to tradition emerged from a cave in a region
called Pacariqtambo.
Huayna Capac was the son of the previous ruler,
Túpac Inca, and the grandson of Pachacuti,
the Emperor who, by conquest, had commenced
the dramatic expansion of the Inca Empire
from its cultural and traditional base in
the area around Cuzco. On his accession to
the throne, Huayna Capac had continued the
policy of expansion by conquest, taking Inca
armies north into what is today Ecuador. While
he had to put down a number of rebellions
during his reign, by the time of his death,
his legitimacy was as unquestioned as was
the primacy of Inca power.
However, expansion had resulted in its own
problems. Many parts of the empire maintained
distinctive cultures and these were at best
resistive participants in the imperial project.
The large extent of the empire, the extremely
difficult terrain of much of it, and the fact
that all communication and travel had to take
place on foot or by boat, seems to have caused
increasing difficulty in the Incas' effective
administration of the empire.
Huayna Capac relied on his sons to support
his reign. While he had many legitimate and
illegitimate children (legitimate meaning
born of his sister-wife, under the Inca system),
two sons are historically important. Prince
Túpac Cusi Hualpa, also known as Huáscar,
was the son of Coya Mama Rahua Occllo of the
royal line. The second was Atahualpa, an illegitimate
son who was likely born of a daughter of the
last independent King of Quitu, one of the
states conquered by Huayna Capac during the
expansion of the Inca Empire. These two sons
would play pivotal roles in the final years
of the Inca Empire.
The Spanish conquistador Pizarro and his men
were greatly aided in their enterprise by
invading when the Inca Empire was in the midst
of a war of succession between the princes
Huáscar and Atahualpa. Atahualpa seems to
have spent more time with Huayna Capac during
the years when he was in the north with the
army conquering Ecuador. Atahualpa was thus
closer to, and had better relations with the
army and its leading generals. When both Huayna
Capac and his eldest son and designated heir,
Ninan Cuyochic, died suddenly in 1528 from
what was probably smallpox, a disease introduced
by the Spanish into the Americas, the question
of who would succeed as emperor was thrown
open. Huayna had died before he could nominate
the new heir.
At the time of Huayna Capac's death, Huáscar
was in the capital Cuzco, while Atahualpa
was in Quitu with the main body of the Inca
army. Huáscar had himself proclaimed Sapa
Inca (i.e. "Only Emperor") in Cuzco, but the
army declared loyalty to Atahualpa. The resulting
dispute led to the Inca Civil War.
== Chronology of the last years of the Inca
Empire ==
== 
Beginning of the conflict ==
The civil war between Atahualpa and Huascar
weakened the empire immediately prior to its
struggle with the Spanish. Historians are
unsure of whether a united Inca Empire could
have defeated the Spanish in the long term
due to factors such as the high mortality
from disease and its related social disruption,
and the superior military technology of the
conquistadors, who possessed horses, dogs,
metal armor, swords, cannons, and primitive,
but effective, firearms. Atahualpa appeared
to be more popular with the people than his
brother, and he was certainly more valued
by the army, the core of which was based in
the recently conquered northern province of
Quitu.
At the outset of the conflict, each brother
controlled his respective domains, with Atahualpa
secure in the north, and Huáscar controlling
the capital of Cuzco and the large territory
to the south, including the area around Lake
Titicaca. This region had supplied large numbers
of troops for Huáscar's forces. After a period
of diplomatic posturing and jockeying for
position, open warfare broke out. Huáscar
seemed poised to bring the war to a rapid
conclusion, as troops loyal to him took Atahualpa
prisoner, while he was attending a festival
in the city of Tumibamba. However, Atahualpa
quickly escaped and returned to Quitu. There,
he was able to amass what is estimated to
be at least 30,000 soldiers. While Huáscar
managed to muster about the same number of
soldiers, they were less experienced.
Atahualpa sent his forces south under the
command of two of his leading generals, Challcuchima
and Quisquis, who won an uninterrupted series
of victories that soon brought them to the
very gates of Cuzco. On the first day of the
battle for Cuzco, the forces loyal to Huáscar
gained an early advantage. However, on the
second day, Huáscar personally led an ill-advised
"surprise" attack, of which the generals Challcuchima
and Quisquis had advance knowledge. In the
ensuing battle, Huáscar was captured, and
resistance completely collapsed. The victorious
generals sent word north by chasqui messenger
to Atahualpa, who had moved south from Quitu
to the royal resort springs outside Cajamarca.
The messenger arrived with news of the final
victory on the same day that Pizarro and his
small band of adventurers, together with some
indigenous allies, descended from the Andes
into the town of Cajamarca.
== Arrival of Pizarro ==
Francisco Pizarro and his brothers (Gonzalo,
Juan, and Hernando) were attracted by the
news of a rich and fabulous kingdom. They
had left the then impoverished Extremadura,
like many migrants after them.
In 1529, Francisco Pizarro obtained permission
from the Spanish Monarchy to conquer the land
they called Peru.According to historian Raúl
Porras Barrenechea, Peru is not a Quechuan
nor Caribbean word, but Indo-Hispanic or hybrid.
Unknown to Pizarro, as he was lobbying for
permission to mount an expedition, his proposed
enemy was being devastated by the diseases
brought to the American continents during
earlier Spanish contacts.
When Pizarro arrived in Peru in 1532, he found
it vastly different from when he had been
there just five years before. Amid the ruins
of the city of Tumbes, he tried to piece together
the situation before him. From two young local
boys whom he had taught how to speak Spanish
in order to translate for him, Pizarro learned
of the civil war and of the disease that was
destroying the Inca Empire.After four long
expeditions, Pizarro established the first
Spanish settlement in northern Peru, calling
it San Miguel de Piura.
When first spotted by the natives, Pizarro
and his men were thought to be viracocha cuna
or "gods". The Indians described Pizarro's
men to the Inca. They said that capito was
tall with a full beard and was completely
wrapped in clothing. The Indians described
the men's swords and how they killed sheep
with them. The men did not eat human flesh,
but rather sheep, lamb, duck, pigeons, and
deer, and cooked the meat. Atahualpa was fearful
of what the white men were capable of. If
they were runa quicachac or "destroyers of
peoples," then he should flee. If they were
viracocha cuna runa allichac or "gods who
are benefactors of the people," then he should
not flee, but welcome them. The messengers
went back to Tangarala, and Atahualpa sent
Cinquinchara, an Orejon warrior, to the Spanish
to serve as an interpreter.
After traveling with the Spanish, Cinquinchara
returned to Atahualpa; they discussed whether
or not the Spanish men were gods. Cinquinchara
decided they were men because he saw them
eat, drink, dress, and have relations with
women. He saw them produce no miracles. Cinquinchara
informed Atahualpa that they were small in
number, about 170–180 men, and had bound
the Indian captives with "iron ropes". When
Atahualpa asked what to do about the strangers,
Cinquinchara said that they should be killed
because they were evil thieves who took whatever
they wanted, and were supai cuna or "devils".
He recommended trapping the men inside of
their sleeping quarters and burning them to
death.At this point, Pizarro had 168 men under
his command: 106 on foot and 62 on horses.
Pizarro sent his captain Hernando de Soto
to invite Atahualpa to a meeting. Soto rode
to meet Atahualpa on his horse, an animal
that Atahualpa had never seen before. With
one of his young interpreters, Soto read a
prepared speech to Atahualpa telling him that
they had come as servants of God to teach
them the truth about God's word. He said he
was speaking to them so that they might
"lay the foundation of concord, brotherhood,
and perpetual peace that should exist between
us, so that you may receive us under your
protection and hear the divine law from us
and all your people may learn and receive
it, for it will be the greatest honor, advantage,
and salvation to them all."
Atahualpa responded only after Hernando Pizarro
arrived. He replied with what he had heard
from his scouts, saying that Pizarro and his
men were killing and enslaving countless numbers
on the coast. Pizarro denied the report and
Atahualpa, with limited information, reluctantly
let the matter go. At the end of their meeting,
the men agreed to meet the next day at Cajamarca.
== Capture of Atahualpa ==
After his victory and the death of his brother
Huáscar, Atahualpa was fasting in the Inca
baths outside Cajamarca. Pizarro and his men
reached that city on 15 November 1532.
Pizarro sent Hernando de Soto and Hernando
Pizarro to the Inca leader's camp. Hernando
Pizarro and De Soto explained they were emissaries
of Emperor Charles I of Spain, to offer their
services, and "impart to him the doctrines
of the true faith." Additionally, they invited
the Incan leader to visit Pizarro at his quarters
along the Cajamarca plaza. Atahualpa replied
that his fast would end the next day, when
he would visit Pizarro. When De Soto noticed
Atahualpa's interest in his horse, he put
on a display of "excellent horsemanship" in
close proximity. Atahualpa displayed hospitality
by serving refreshments.
The next morning, Pizarro had arranged an
ambuscade around the Cajamarca plaza, where
they were to meet. When Atahualpa arrived
with about 6,000 unarmed followers, Friar
Vincente de Valverde and Felipillo met them
and proceeded to "expound the doctrines of
the true faith" and seek his tribute as a
vassal of King Charles. The unskilled translator
likely contributed to problems in communication.
The friar offered Atahualpa the Bible as the
authority of what he had just stated. Atahualpa
stated, "I will be no man's tributary."The
friar urged attack, starting the Battle of
Cajamarca on 16 November 1532. Though the
historical accounts relating to these circumstances
vary, the true Spanish motives for the attack
seemed to be a desire for loot and flat-out
impatience. The Inca likely did not adequately
understand the conquistadors' demands.At the
signal to attack, the Spaniards unleashed
volleys of gunfire at the vulnerable mass
of Incas and surged forward in a concerted
action. The effect was devastating, the shocked
Incas offered such feeble resistance that
the battle has often been labeled a massacre,
with the Inca losing 2,000 dead. Pizarro also
used cavalry charges against the Inca forces,
which stunned them in combination with gunfire.The
majority of Atahualpa's troops were in the
Cuzco region along with Rumiñawi, Quisquis
and Challcuchima, the two generals he trusted
the most. This was a major disadvantage for
the Inca. Their undoing also resulted from
a lack of self-confidence, and a desire to
make public demonstration of fearlessness
and godlike command of situation. The main
view is that the Inca were eventually defeated
due to inferior weapons, 'open battle' tactics,
disease, internal unrest, the bold tactics
of the Spanish, and the capture of their emperor.
While Spanish armour was very effective against
most of the Andean weapons, it was not impenetrable
to maces, clubs, or slings. However, ensuing
hostilities such as the Mixtón Rebellion,
Chichimeca War, and Arauco War would require
that the conquistadors ally with friendly
tribes in these later expeditions.
The battle began with a shot from a cannon
and the battle cry "Santiago!" Many of the
guns used by the Spaniards were hard to use
in the frequent close-combat situations. Most
natives adapted in 'guerrilla fashion' by
only shooting at the legs of the conquistadors
if they happened to be unarmored.During Atahualpa's
captivity, the Spanish, although greatly outnumbered,
forced him to order his generals to back down
by threatening to kill him if he did not.
According to the Spanish envoy's demands,
Atahualpa offered to fill a large room with
gold and promised the Spanish twice that amount
in silver. While Pizarro ostensibly accepted
this offer and allowed the gold to pile up,
he had no intention of releasing the Inca;
he needed Atahualpa's influence over his generals
and the people in order to maintain the peace.
When Atahualpa was captured at the massacre
at Cajamarca, he was treated with respect,
allowed his wives to join him, and the Spanish
soldiers taught him the game of chess.
Francisco Pizarro sent his brother Hernando
to gather gold and silver from the temples
in Pachacamac in January 1533, and on his
return in March, captured Chalcuchimac in
the Jauja Valley. Francisco Pizzaro sent a
similar expedition to Cuzco, bringing back
many gold plates from the Temple of the Sun.
By February 1533, Almagro had joined Pizarro
in Cajamarca with an additional 150 men with
50 horses.Pizarro held Atahualpa for a ransom
of gold and silver; the treasure began to
be delivered from Cuzco on 20 December 1532
and flowed steadily from then on. By 3 May
1533 Pizarro received all the treasure he
had requested; it was melted, refined, and
made into bars.
The question eventually came up of what to
do with Atahualpa; both Pizarro and Soto were
against killing him, but the other Spaniards
were loud in their demands for death. False
interpretations from the interpreter Felipillo
made the Spaniards paranoid. They were told
that Atahualpa had ordered secret attacks
and his warriors were hidden in the surrounding
area. Soto went with a small army to look
for the hidden army, but a trial for Atahualpa
was held in his absence. Among the charges
were polygamy, incestuous marriage, and idolatry,
all frowned upon in Catholicism but common
in Inca culture and religion.
The men who were against Atahualpa's conviction
and murder argued that he should be judged
by King Charles since he was the sovereign
prince. Atahualpa agreed to accept baptism
to avoid being burned at the stake and in
the hopes of one day rejoining his army and
killing the Spanish; he was baptized as Francisco.
On 29 August 1533 Atahualpa was garrotted
and died a Christian. He was buried with Christian
rites in the church of San Francisco at Cajamarca,
but was soon disinterred. His body was taken,
probably at his prior request, to its final
resting place in Quito. Upon de Soto's return,
he was furious; he had found no evidence of
any secret gathering of Atahualpa's warriors.Pizarro
advanced with his army of 500 Spaniards toward
Cuzco, accompanied by Chalcuchimac. The latter
was burned alive in the Jauja Valley, accused
of secret communication with Quizquiz, and
organizing resistance. Manco Inca Yupanqui
joined Pizarro after the death of Túpac Huallpa.
Pizarro's force entered the heart of the Tawantinsuyu
on 15 November 1533.Benalcázar, Pizarro's
lieutenant and fellow Extremaduran, had already
departed from San Miguel with 140-foot soldiers
and a few horses on his conquering mission
to Ecuador. At the foot of Mount Chimborazo,
near the modern city of Riobamba (Ecuador)
he met and defeated the forces of the great
Inca warrior Rumiñawi with the aid of Cañari
tribesmen who served as guides and allies
to the conquering Spaniards. Rumiñahui fell
back to Quito, and, while in pursuit of the
Inca army, Benalcázar was joined by five
hundred men led by Guatemalan Governor Pedro
de Alvarado. Greedy for gold, Alvarado had
set sail for the south without the crown's
authorization, landed on the Ecuadorian coast,
and marched inland to the Sierra. Finding
Quito empty of its treasures, Alvarado soon
joined the combined Spanish force. Alvarado
agreed to sell his fleet of twelve ships,
his forces, plus arms and ammunition, and
returned to Guatemala.
== Rebellion and reconquest ==
After Atahualpa's execution, Pizarro installed
Atahualpa's brother, Túpac Huallpa, as a
puppet Inca ruler, but he soon died unexpectedly,
leaving Manco Inca Yupanqui in power. He began
his rule as an ally of the Spanish and was
respected in the southern regions of the empire,
but there was still much unrest in the north
near Quito where Atahualpa's generals were
amassing troops. Atahualpa's death meant that
there was no hostage left to deter these northern
armies from attacking the invaders. Led by
Atahualpa's generals Rumiñahui, Zope-Zupahua
and Quisquis, the native armies were finally
defeated, effectively ending any organized
rebellion in the north of the empire.Archaeological
evidence of the rebellion incident exists.
The remains of about 70 men, women, and adolescents
were found in the path of a planned expressway
near Lima in 2007. Forensic evidence suggests
that the natives were killed by European weapons,
probably during the uprising in 1536.Manco
Inca initially had good relations with Francisco
Pizarro and several other Spanish conquistadors.
However, in 1535 he was left in Cuzco under
the control of Pizarro's brothers, Juan and
Gonzalo, who so mistreated Manco Inca that
he ultimately rebelled. Under the pretense
of recovering a statue of pure gold in the
nearby Yucay valley, Manco was able to escape
Cuzco.
Manco Inca hoped to use the disagreement between
Almagro and Pizarro to his advantage and attempted
the recapture of Cuzco starting in Feb. 1536.
The siege of Cuzco was waged until the following
spring, and during that time Manco's armies
managed to wipe out four relief columns sent
from Lima, but was ultimately unsuccessful
in its goal of routing the Spaniards from
the city. The Inca leadership did not have
the full support of all its subject peoples
and furthermore, the degrading state of Inca
morale coupled with the superior Spanish siege
weapons soon made Manco Inca realize his hope
of recapturing Cuzco was failing. Manco Inca
eventually withdrew to Tambo.After the Spanish
regained control of Cuzco, Manco Inca and
his armies retreated to the fortress at Ollantaytambo
where he, for a time, successfully launched
attacks against Pizarro based at Cuzco and
even managed to defeat the Spanish in an open
battle.When it became clear that defeat was
imminent, Manco Inca retreated further to
the mountainous region of Vilcabamba and established
the small Neo-Inca State, where Manco Inca
and his successors continued to hold some
power for several more decades. His son, Túpac
Amaru, was the last Inca. After deadly confrontations,
he was murdered by the Spanish in 1572.
In total, the conquest took about forty years
to complete. Many Inca attempts to regain
the empire had occurred, but none had been
successful. Thus the Spanish conquest was
achieved through relentless force, and deception,
aided by factors like smallpox and a great
communication and cultural divide. The Spaniards
destroyed much of the Incan culture and introduced
the Spanish culture to the native population.
== Aftermath ==
A struggle for power resulted in a long civil
war between Francisco Pizarro and Diego de
Almagro in which Almagro was killed. Almagro's
loyal followers and his descendants later
avenged his death by killing Pizarro in 1541.
This was done inside the palace of Francisco
Pizarro in a fight to the death by these assassins,
most of which were former soldiers of Diego
de Almagro who were stripped of title and
belongings after his death.Despite the war,
the Spaniards did not neglect the colonizing
process. Spanish royal authority on these
territories was consolidated by the creation
of an Audiencia Real, a type of appellate
court. In January 1535, Lima was founded,
from which the political and administrative
institutions were to be organized. In 1542,
the Spanish created the Viceroyalty of New
Castile, that shortly after would be called
Viceroyalty of Peru. Nevertheless, the Viceroyalty
of Peru was not organized until the arrival
of a later Viceroy Francisco de Toledo in
1572. Toledo ended the indigenous Neo-Inca
State in Vilcabamba, executing the Inca Túpac
Amaru. He promoted economic development using
commercial monopoly and built up the extraction
from the silver mines of Potosí, using slavery
based on the Inca institution of forced labor
for mandatory public service called mita.
The integration of Spanish culture into Peru
was carried out not only by Pizarro and his
other captains, but also by the many Spanish
who also came to Peru to exploit its riches
and inhabit its land. These included many
different kinds of immigrants such as Spanish
merchants, peasants, artisans, and Spanish
women. Another element that the Spanish brought
with them were African slaves to work alongside
captive Incas for use in labor with things
such as agriculture and mining for silver.
These people all brought with them their own
pieces of Spanish culture to integrate into
Peruvian society.
The arrival of the Spanish even had effects
on the coastal geography of Peru, since the
shores were uninhabited after the Incas that
previously lived there were either killed
or relocated to another area by the Spanish.Almost
nothing was left of the Inca civilizations
after the conquest by the Spanish, as culture
was not as significant as gold to the new
conquerors. The unique indigenous road and
communications systems were essentially lost.
The only things that persisted of the original
culture are the very few artifacts that remained
and the minute cultural aspects, such as language,
that was left behind by the small percentage
of Incas who persisted.
== Effects of the conquest on people of the
Empire ==
The long-term effects of the arrival of the
Spanish on the population of South America
were simply catastrophic. While this is the
case for every group of Native-Americans that
encountered Europeans from the fifteenth century
onwards, the Incan population suffered a dramatic
and quick decline following contact. It is
estimated that parts of the empire, notably
the Central Andes, suffered a population decline
ratio of 58:1 during the years of 1520–1571.The
single greatest cause of the decimation of
native populations was infectious disease.
Old World Eurasian diseases, which had long
been endemic on the Continent, were carried
unknowingly by colonists and conquistadors.
As these were new to the natives, they had
no acquired immunity and suffered very high
rates of death. More died of disease than
any army or armed conflict. As the Inca did
not have as strong a writing tradition as
the Aztec or Maya, it is difficult for historians
to estimate population decline or any events
after conquest. But, it is apparent that the
Inca began to contract the diseases several
years before the Spanish appeared in the region,
as it was likely carried to their empire by
traders and travelers. The outbreak, believed
to be hemorrhagic smallpox, reached the Andes
in 1524. While numbers are unavailable, Spanish
records indicate that the population was so
devastated by disease that they could hardly
resist the foreign forces.
Historians differ as to whether the illness
of the 1520s was smallpox; a minority of scholars
claim that the epidemic was due to an indigenous
illness called Carrion's disease. In any case,
a 1981 study by N. D. Cook the shows that
the Andes suffered from three separate population
declines during colonization. The first was
of 30–50 percent during the first outbreak
of smallpox. When a measles outbreak occurred,
there was another decline of 25–30 percent.
Finally, when smallpox and measles epidemics
occurred together, which occurred from 1585
to 1591, a decline of 30–60 percent occurred.
Collectively these declines amounted to a
decline of 93 percent from the pre-contact
population in the Andes region. Mortality
was particularly high among children, ensuring
that the impact of the epidemics would extend
to the next generation.Beyond the devastation
of the local populations by disease, they
suffered considerable enslavement, pillaging
and destruction from warfare. The Spanish
took thousands of women from the local natives
to use as servants and concubines. As Pizarro
and his men took over portions of South America,
they plundered and enslaved countless people.
Some local populations entered into vassalage
willingly, to defeat the Inca. Native groups
such as the Huanca, Cañari and Chachapoya
fought alongside the Spanish as they opposed
Inca rule. The basic policy of the Spanish
towards local populations was that voluntary
vassalage would yield safety and coexistence,
while continued resistance would result in
more deaths and destruction.Another significant
effect on the people in South America was
the spread of Christianity. As Pizarro and
the Spanish subdued the continent and brought
it under their control, they forcefully converted
many to Christianity, claiming to have educated
them in the ways of the "one true religion."
With the depopulation of the local populations
along with the capitulation of the Inca Empire,
the Spanish missionary work after colonization
began was able to continue unimpeded. It took
just a generation for the entire continent
to be under Christian influence.
== In fiction ==
Peter Shaffer's play The Royal Hunt of the
Sun (1964) dramatizes the conquest of the
Incas. In the play, Pizarro, Atahualpa, Valverde
and other historical figures appear as characters.
Matthew Reilly's novel Temple, is set at the
siege of Cuzco. Many historical figures are
mentioned, and a (fictional) brother of Pizarro
is noted to be in pursuit of the protagonist.
The conquest is also used as a "starting point
of the cat."
The Inca are featured in the third Campaign
in Age of Empires 3, having a Lost City hidden
in the Andes. They are also in the Multiplayer,
found primarily in the areas making up Chile
and Argentina.
The conquest is parodied in The Simpsons TV
series, in the episode "Lost Verizon", written
by John Frink.Pizarro and his fellow conquistadors
feature as antagonists in the 1982 animated
serial The Mysterious Cities of Gold.
== Quotes ==
I wish Your Majesty to understand the motive
that moves me to make this statement is the
peace of my conscience and because of the
guilt I share. For we have destroyed by our
evil behaviour such a government as was enjoyed
by these natives. They were so free of crime
and greed, both men and women, that they could
leave gold or silver worth a hundred thousand
pesos in their open house. So that when they
discovered that we were thieves and men who
sought to force their wives and daughters
to commit sin with them, they despised us.
But now things have come to such a pass in
offence of God, owing to the bad example we
have set them in all things, that these natives
from doing no evil have turned into people
who can do no good.. I beg God to pardon me,
for I am moved to say this, seeing that I
am the last to die of the Conquistadors."
When has it ever happened, either in ancient
or modern times, that such amazing exploits
have been achieved? Over so many climes, across
so many seas, over such distances by land,
to subdue the unseen and unknown? Whose deeds
can be compared with those of Spain? Not even
the ancient Greeks and Romans.
When I set out to write for the people of
today and of the future, about the conquest
and discovery that our Spaniards made here
in Peru, I could not but reflect that I was
dealing with the greatest matters one could
possibly write about in all of creation as
far as secular history goes. Where have men
ever seen the things they have seen here?
And to think that God should have permitted
something so great to remain hidden from the
world for so long in history, unknown to men,
and then let it be found, discovered and won
all in our own time!
The houses are more than two hundred paces
in length, and very well built, being surrounded
by strong walls, three times the height of
a man. The roofs are covered with straw and
wood, resting on the walls. The interiors
are divided into eight rooms, much better
built than any we had seen before. Their walls
are of very well cut stones and each lodging
is surrounded by its masonry wall with doorways,
and has its fountain of water in an open court,
conveyed from a distance by pipes, for the
supply of the house. In front of the plaza,
towards the open country, a stone fortress
is connected with it by a staircase leading
from the square to the fort. Towards the open
country there is another small door, with
a narrow staircase, all within the outer wall
of the plaza. Above the town, on the mountain
side, where the houses commence, there is
another fort on a hill, the greater part of
which is hewn out of the rock. This is larger
than the other, and surrounded by three walls,
rising spirally.
== See also ==
== 
Footnotes ==
== 
Bibliography ==
== 
External links ==
All Empires Online History Community
