Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire

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Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire

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The Spanish conquest dismantled the vast Inca Empire, fundamentally reshaping South American history.

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Origins & Early Life

The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, also known as the Conquest of Peru (Spanish: Conquista española del Imperio incaico), was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas (the broader European colonization of the Americas). After years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 168 Spanish soldiers under conquistador Francisco Pizarro, along with his brothers in arms and their Indian auxiliaries, captured the last Sapa Inca, Atahualpa, at the Battle of Cajamarca in 1532. 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, led to spin-off campaigns into present-day Chile and Colombia, as well as expeditions to the Amazon Basin and the surrounding rainforest. 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

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, it covered some of the most mountainous terrains on Earth. In less than a century, the Inca had expanded their empire from about 400,000 km2 (150,000 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 culture and 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. Under the administrative mechanisms established by the Inca, all parts of the empire answered to, and were ultimately under the direct control of, the Inca Emperor.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Scholars estimate that the population of the Inca Empire was between 12 and 16 million. 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 Paqariq Tampu. 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 Cusco.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1448: 1448 Milestone — In less than a century, the Inca had expanded their empire from about 400,000 km2 (150,000 sq mi) in 1448 to 1,800,000 km2 (690,000 sq mi) in 1528, just before the arrival of the Spanish.
2. 1528: 1528 Milestone — 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.
3. 1532: 1532 Milestone — After years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 168 Spanish soldiers under conquistador Francisco Pizarro, along with his brothers in arms and their Indian auxiliaries, captured the last Sapa Inca, Atahualpa, at the Battle of Cajamarca in 1532.
4. 1572: 1572 Milestone — 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.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire

True or False: “The Inca Empire was already at its peak of power and stability immediately before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Scholars suggest the empire may have been in a period of decline or instability due to internal issues and overextension.

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