The
Inca Empire, was the largest empire in
pre-Columbian America. It's political and administrative structure "was the most sophisticated found among native peoples" in the
Americas. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in
Cusco in modern-day
Peru. The
Inca civilization arose from the highlands of
Peru sometime in the early 13th century. Its last stronghold was conquered by the
Spanish in 1572.
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Grounds of Machu Picchu |
From 1438 to 1533, the
Incas incorporated a large portion of western
South America, centered on the
Andean Mountains, using conquest and peaceful assimilation, among other methods. At its largest, the empire joined
Peru, large parts of modern
Ecuador, western and south central
Bolivia, northwest
Argentina, north and central
Chile and a small part of southwest
Colombia into a state comparable to the historical empires of
Eurasia.
Manco Cápac, is known as the founder of the Inca. It is said that he and his sisters built the first Inca homes in the valley with their own hands. Under the leadership of Manco Cápac, the Inca formed the small city-state Kingdom of Cusco. When the time came, Manco Cápac turned to stone like his brothers before him. His son, Sinchi Roca, became the second emperor of the Inca.
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Manco Capac, the first Inca King |
In 1438, the
Incas began a far-reaching expansion under the command of
Sapa Inca (paramount leader)
Pachacuti-Cusi Yupanqui. During his reign, he and his son
Tupac Yupanqui brought much of the
Andes mountains (roughly modern
Peru and
Ecuador) under
Inca control.
Pachacuti reorganized the kingdom of
Cusco into the
Tahuantinsuyu, which consisted of a central government with the
Inca at its head and four provincial governments with strong leaders:
Chinchasuyu (NW),
Antisuyu (NE),
Kuntisuyu (SW) and
Qullasuyu (SE).
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Statue of Pachacuti, Aguas Calientes, Peru |
Traditionally the son of the
Inca ruler led the army.
Pachacuti's son
Túpac Inca Yupanqui began conquests to the north in 1463 and continued them as
Inca ruler after
Pachacuti's death in 1471.
Túpac Inca's most important conquest was the
Kingdom of Chimor, the
Inca's only serious rival for the
Peruvian coast.
Túpac Inca's empire stretched north into modern-day
Ecuador and
Colombia. Pachacuti is thought to have built
Machu Picchu, either as a family home or summer retreat, although it may have been an agricultural station.
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Machu Picchu being used as an agricultural site |
Most accepted the rule of the
Inca as a fait accompli and acquiesced peacefully. Refusal to accept
Inca rule resulted in military conquest. Following conquest the local rulers were executed. The ruler's children were brought to capital
Cusco to learn about
Inca administration systems, then return to rule their native lands. This allowed the
Inca to indoctrinate them into the
Inca nobility and, with luck, marry their daughters into families at various corners of the empire.
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Inca agricultural terraces in Pisac |
Túpac Inca's son
Huayna Cápac added a small portion of land to the north in modern-day
Ecuador and in parts of
Peru. At its height, the
Inca Empire included
Peru and
Bolivia, most of what is now
Ecuador and a large portion of what is today
Chile, north of the
Maule River. The advance south halted after the
Battle of the Maule where they met determined resistance from the
Mapuche. The empire's push into the
Amazon Basin near the
Chinchipe River was stopped by the
Shuar in 1527.
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Amazon River Basin |
Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro and his brothers explored south from what is today Panama, reaching Inca territory by 1526. It was clear that they had reached a wealthy land with prospects of great treasure, and after another expedition in 1529 Pizarro traveled to Spain and received royal approval to conquer the region and be its viceroy beginning the conquest of Inca Empire.
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Francisco Pizarro |
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