Learn about the Spanish conquest of Peru, the Inca Civil War, and the Inca Empire's decline in power. Read about Francisco Pizarro's conquest of Cusco.
Updated: 04/28/2022
Pizarro's Conquest & the Inca Civil War
Who Conquered the Inca People?
In 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in the New World. As agents of the Spanish Empire, Columbus and the Spanish conquistadors were eager to seize new lands, get rich from the New World's resources, and spread Christianity. At the time, the Inca Empire was one of the largest empires in the world, ruling over much of the Andean Mountains. The Spanish Conquest of the New World would occur over the next few decades: the Aztec and the Inca Empires were conquered by Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro, respectively. By taking over such a large expanse of territory, especially its lucrative gold and silver mines, Spain became a world power. Meanwhile, the indigenous peoples of the Americas were subjected to slavery. Inca resistance to the Spanish Empire, however, would only end in 1572.
Empires at War
In the early 16th century, during a period called the Age of Exploration, great empires who had never met suddenly discovered each other as Europeans began travelling the world. In South America, the greatest clash was between the Spanish explorers and conquerors, called conquistadores, and the powerful Inca Empire, the largest empire in the western hemisphere. Eventually, the Spanish defeated the Inca, and the mighty empire fell.
You must cCreate an account to continue watching
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Create Your Account To Continue Watching
As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed.
Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons.
Try it now
It only takes a few minutes to setup and you can cancel any time.
Already registered? Log in here for access
Back
Your next lesson will play in
10 seconds
Inca Decline: Background
The Inca Empire, or Tawantinsuyu as it was known in the dominant language at the time of Quechua, had its origins in the conquest of the Andean mountains by the rulers of the city of Cusco, in modern-day Peru. From 1438 to the 1520s, the Inca rulers added vast swaths of territory to their empire. While the Inca Empire lacked certain technologies present in the Old World, such as gunpowder and the wheel, they did possess metallurgy and a strong central government, as the emperor was worshipped as a god. However, the Inca Empire was unable to make full use of their strengths against the Spanish Empire, as the Spanish conquistadors invaded during a moment of extreme weakness. Following the arrival of diseases and the eruption of civil war, the period of the Inca decline began.
 |
The Spanish Conquest of Central America
The Aztec Empire was the hegemon of modern-day Mexico since the early 1400s, ruling from the city of Tenochtitlan. The Aztec rulers, however, did not have absolute power, and their practice of human sacrifice meant that many subjects of the empire were eager to revolt.
In the early 1500s, the Spanish Empire sought to expand its power in the New World. After conquering all of Hispaniola, the Spanish conquistadors next took over all of Cuba. Soon, Spanish expeditions were arranged across the Caribbean. The Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, in search of opportunities for wealth and glory, led an expedition into Aztec territory in 1519. Cortés led a small band of Spanish soldiers, but was joined by a greater number of indigenous allies who were motivated to overthrow the Aztec Empire. Aztec Emperor Montezuma II invited the Spanish conquistadors into Tenochtitlan as guests, but soon Cortés seized Montezuma as a hostage. While the historical accounts are unclear about who was responsible, Montezuma was soon murdered and the empire fell into chaos. The Spanish conquistadors retreated from the city, then sieged it with superior forces. Smallpox, brought to the New World by the Europeans, burned through Tenochtitlan. Soon, the Spanish Empire ruled over modern-day Mexico, with Cortés as the governor.
The Inca Civil War
The smallpox brought by Europeans spread quickly throughout the New World, arriving in the Inca Empire in the 1520s. The indigenous peoples of the New World lacked any natural immunity to this foreign disease, so huge percentages of the population died. Even the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac and his heir fell to the disease. One of his other sons, Huáscar, was proclaimed emperor and plotted to defeat his brother Atahualpa, who was a rival to his power. War broke out between the two brothers, though Atahualpa won their battles, seized the capital, and arrested his brother. While Atahualpa was now mostly unchallenged as emperor, the city of Cusco preferred his brother, and many had died from the fighting and the disease. This period marks the decline of the Inca Empire. Soon after his victory, the Spanish conquistadors arrived.
The Spanish Conquest of Peru
While the Spanish conquistadors tended to lead small armies, Europeans possessed advanced technologies that gave them advantage in combat: chiefly, gunpowder and steel. Early cannons and firearms, while not as lethal as their modern successors, were effective weapons. Steel armor gave the conquistadors a strong defense against Inca weapons, while steel swords could cut through Inca armor. The conquistadors also had horses, which could travel long distances and carry heavy burdens. Disease, too, was devastating. Nevertheless, the Inca Empire resisted for decades after Pizarro's first contact.
Francisco Pizarro and the Inca People: Contact
In 1526, Pizarro and 150 men traveled south from Panama in search of new opportunities for conquest. After discovering indigenous people in possession of gold and silver, they returned to Spanish territory to gather permission for another, stronger expedition. Pizarro returned to Spain and personally requested the king permit the expedition, promising to conquer rich lands for the Spanish crown. Pizarro received his permission, traveled back to the New World, and launched the expedition in 1530.
With only a few hundred men, Pizarro marched into the Inca Empire. In 1532, he finally had the opportunity to meet with Atahualpa. While the emperor's army was large, Pizarro planned to isolate the emperor and then seize him, as Cortés had done with Montezuma. The two met in Cajamarca under diplomatic pretexts. Pizarro's men were positioned to ambush the emperor, who arrived without his army.
While hindsight would warn Atahualpa not to meet with Pizarro, Atahualpa had no real reason to expect the conquistadors to attack. Furthermore, their numbers were so few that they did not seem like much of a threat, especially after Atahualpa had defeated his brother's much larger armies. Pizarro had his friar urge Atahualpa to convert to Christianity and become a tribute to the Spanish king, though Atahualpa refused. This was the Requerimiento: before every battle, Spanish traditions required that the enemy be offered the chance to convert to Christianity and surrender as a tributary. Once the enemy (in this case Atahualpa) refused, battle was permitted.
Francisco Pizarro's Conquest of the Inca People
Now that Atahualpa had refused, the conquistadors launched their attack. Though their numbers were small, Spanish guns and steel outmatched the unarmed defenders, and Atahualpa was soon seized. This paralyzed the Inca army, which believed Atahualpa to be a god. Despite Atahualpa's extensive bribes, Pizarro had Atahualpa executed in 1533, then occupied the capital of Cusco. A puppet emperor, Manco, was put in power, and Atahualpa's armies were defeated in battle. Pizarro ruled over the areas of modern-day Peru as viceroy.
Manco Inca and Continued Fighting
While Francisco Pizarro and Manco got along well, Pizarro's brothers abused the authority they had over the emperor, leading to Emperor Manco revolting in 1535. Manco surrounded the Spanish soldiers in Cusco and sieged the city for ten months. While the Spanish Empire had originally possessed a technological advantage, the Inca resistors were gradually catching up; they employed bolas to enwrap horses' legs and soon began to use guns seized from Europeans. However, these advances were too few and Manco was unable to capture the city. Instead, he retreated into the mountains, where he led a decade-long rebellion against the Spanish Empire. Manco even defeated them in battle, but was unable to reconquer the empire. In 1544, Manco was assassinated.
While Manco's son Titu Cusi attempted to negotiate with the Spanish Empire, he soon died and was replaced by Emperor Túpac Amaru, who waged war against the Spanish Empire but was ultimately defeated in 1572. While this spelled the end of the Inca Empire, indigenous resistance to Spanish imperialism would continue for centuries.
When Did the Inca Empire End?
The Spanish conquest of the New World was not an instantaneous victory but rather a long process replete with failures and setbacks. The conquistadors were, to a large degree, lucky; the smallpox plague that washed across the Aztec and Inca Empires in the 1520s devastated indigenous societies, weakening their ability to resist the Spanish Empire. In the Inca Empire, it triggered a disastrous civil war. Pizarro's invasion of the Inca Empire, then, was part of a large wave of devastation. Even following the execution of Atahualpa and the fall of Cusco in 1533, the Inca rulers resisted until the defeat of Túpac Amaru in 1572. Therefore, the Inca Empire truly fell in 1572.
The Spanish Conquest of Peru: Significance
The conquest of the Inca Empire resulted in the Spanish Empire's dominance over South America. New cities were established, such as Lima, as government centers. Indigenous peoples across the continent were enslaved by the Spanish colonists to labor on plantations, in gold mines, and as concubines. Similarly, the Portuguese Empire seized control of the eastern coast of the continent. The smallpox plague of the 1520s was followed by measles, and soon only a small fraction of the pre-contact population remained. This opened the gateway for Spanish settlers, many of whom would take indigenous women for wives. However, the indigenous people of the New World were not completely eliminated by the colonization of Europeans.
 |
Lesson Summary
In 1492, Europeans arrived in the New World. They brought with them technology more advanced than that present in the New World, as well as diseases for which the indigenous people had no natural immunity. These diseases would devastate the powerful Inca Empire, leading to a civil war and the period of the Inca decline. After conquering the Caribbean, the Spanish Empire turned inland for additional land to seize for gold, glory, and to spread Christianity. This marks the beginning of the Spanish Conquest of the New World. First, Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire, then Francisco Pizarro marched against the Inca Empire and organized a diplomatic meeting with the Inca Emperor Atahualpa, who was prideful after his defeat of his brother and did not expect such a small force to be a true threat. The conquistadors read to him the Requerimiento, demanding his conversion to Christianity and submission to the king of Spain. When Atahualpa refused, he was seized and executed. Even after his death and the seizure of the capital city Cusco in 1533, resistance against the Spanish Empire would continue until Emperor Túpac Amaru's defeat in 1572.
The conquest of the Inca Empire led to the establishment of the Spanish colonial empire in South America. Most indigenous people died from diseases, while many of those who remained were enslaved.
Invasion of Peru
In 1521, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and an alliance of native Mexican armies toppled the powerful Aztec Empire and made Spain instantly rich. Inspired, other Spaniards began exploring more of Central and South America in search of other wealth. One of these men, named Francisco Pizarro, began exploring the coast of northern South America with his brothers. In 1526, they started hearing stories about a powerful, and rich, empire that ruled from the high peaks of the Andes Mountains. Pizarro went back to Spain to ask permission to conquer this empire and returned in 1532 with the blessing of the Spanish Empress.
What Pizarro did not know, as he began his conquest of South America towards modern-day Peru, was that he was not seeing the Inca Empire at its best. Smallpox, which swept down from Mexico years before, had decimated the population. Additionally, the Empire was still recovering from a civil war. When the Sapa Inca, Inca emperor, named Huayna Capac died in 1527, his sons Huáscar and Atahualpa started fighting over the throne. Atahualpa had just defeated Huáscar in 1532 when he heard news about new invaders attacking villages near the coast, the Spanish. Atahualpa hadn't even made it back to his capital city, Cusco, but was still at the site of the last battle, Cajamarca.
Atahualpa was feeling pretty victorious after defeating Huáscar, so despite that fact that the entire empire was weak from war, he sent messengers inviting Pizarro to meet him at his camp in Cajamarca, where 80,000 Inca warriors guarded the emperor. Pizarro had amassed an army of local soldiers who didn't like the Inca Empire and wanted to see Atahualpa dethroned, but he decided to accept the Inca emperor's invitation and only took a small number of his best men.
Empires Meet
When Pizarro arrived in Cajamarca, Atahualpa welcomed him as a guest into his own tent, a Mesoamerican gesture to indicate that the emperor was strong enough not to have any reason to fear the Spanish. Per Spanish law, a conquistador had to offer a foreign emperor the chance to convert to Christianity by reciting a speech called the Requerimiento. The Requerimiento explained, in Spanish, that God had chosen the Spanish emperor to conquer the world, and that anyone who refused was a heretic and enemy of Spain.
Pizarro read the Requerimiento, but translation was very difficult and Atahualpa didn't understand. He tried to clarify, but Pizarro lost his temper and his soldiers killed Atahualpa's men inside the tent, capturing the emperor. In Inca culture, attacking someone during a diplomatic meeting was so dishonorable that it would never have been attempted, which is likely why Atahualpa allowed the Spaniards into his tent without bringing many of his own guards.
Atahualpa promised to pay the Spanish a huge ransom; enough gold to fill a room and twice that much silver. The Inca paid the ransom, but Pizarro refused to release the emperor, executing him in 1533.
Pizarro placed Atahualpa's younger brother, Túpac Huallpa in power with the understanding that Túpac would submit to the Spanish. However, he died of smallpox that same year, and another brother, Manco Inca Yupanqui was placed on the throne. He cooperated at first, but in 1536 saw an opportunity to reclaim power when one of Pizarro's men started an uprising. Manco recaptured the Inca capital of Cusco, but was soon forced back out by the Spanish. He fled to the city of Vilcabamba in the high peaks of Peru and ruled there for 36 years while fighting the Spanish for absolute control of Peru.
Finally, in 1572 the Spanish captured Vilcabamba, which was being ruled by Manco's son, the great warrior Túpac Amaru. Túpac was executed, and the Inca Empire was officially defeated.
Lesson Summary
After Cortés led the Spanish in their first military conquest of the continental Americas, Francisco Pizarro was inspired to do the same in Peru, where he invaded the powerful Inca Empire. This was the largest empire in the western hemisphere, but when Pizarro invaded, it had been seriously weakened by disease and a civil war between two brothers for the throne.
The victor of this war, Atahualpa, met with Pizarro and let the Spanish come armed into his tent. Atahualpa probably did not consider this small group any real threat. He was full of pride from a recent victory, and he may never have considered that the Spanish would attack during a diplomatic meeting.
During this meeting, Pizarro read the Requerimiento, a speech that all conquistadors had to recite, offering the emperor a chance to convert to Christianity. Pizarro then captured Atahualpa, and later executed him, essentially toppling the empire in 1532. The next emperor, Manco Capac, managed to resist the Spanish for a few more years. By 1572, the Spanish finally captured and executed the last Inca emperor, Túpac Amaru, and the Inca Empire was officially defeated.
Learning Outcomes
The details of this video on the defeat of the Inca can help you to:
- Understand Pizarro's motivation for challenging the Inca
- Determine why the Inca Empire was weakened before meeting the Spanish
- Sum up the series of events that led to the fall of the Inca
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Video Transcript
Empires at War
In the early 16th century, during a period called the Age of Exploration, great empires who had never met suddenly discovered each other as Europeans began travelling the world. In South America, the greatest clash was between the Spanish explorers and conquerors, called conquistadores, and the powerful Inca Empire, the largest empire in the western hemisphere. Eventually, the Spanish defeated the Inca, and the mighty empire fell.
Invasion of Peru
In 1521, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and an alliance of native Mexican armies toppled the powerful Aztec Empire and made Spain instantly rich. Inspired, other Spaniards began exploring more of Central and South America in search of other wealth. One of these men, named Francisco Pizarro, began exploring the coast of northern South America with his brothers. In 1526, they started hearing stories about a powerful, and rich, empire that ruled from the high peaks of the Andes Mountains. Pizarro went back to Spain to ask permission to conquer this empire and returned in 1532 with the blessing of the Spanish Empress.
What Pizarro did not know, as he began his conquest of South America towards modern-day Peru, was that he was not seeing the Inca Empire at its best. Smallpox, which swept down from Mexico years before, had decimated the population. Additionally, the Empire was still recovering from a civil war. When the Sapa Inca, Inca emperor, named Huayna Capac died in 1527, his sons Huáscar and Atahualpa started fighting over the throne. Atahualpa had just defeated Huáscar in 1532 when he heard news about new invaders attacking villages near the coast, the Spanish. Atahualpa hadn't even made it back to his capital city, Cusco, but was still at the site of the last battle, Cajamarca.
Atahualpa was feeling pretty victorious after defeating Huáscar, so despite that fact that the entire empire was weak from war, he sent messengers inviting Pizarro to meet him at his camp in Cajamarca, where 80,000 Inca warriors guarded the emperor. Pizarro had amassed an army of local soldiers who didn't like the Inca Empire and wanted to see Atahualpa dethroned, but he decided to accept the Inca emperor's invitation and only took a small number of his best men.
Empires Meet
When Pizarro arrived in Cajamarca, Atahualpa welcomed him as a guest into his own tent, a Mesoamerican gesture to indicate that the emperor was strong enough not to have any reason to fear the Spanish. Per Spanish law, a conquistador had to offer a foreign emperor the chance to convert to Christianity by reciting a speech called the Requerimiento. The Requerimiento explained, in Spanish, that God had chosen the Spanish emperor to conquer the world, and that anyone who refused was a heretic and enemy of Spain.
Pizarro read the Requerimiento, but translation was very difficult and Atahualpa didn't understand. He tried to clarify, but Pizarro lost his temper and his soldiers killed Atahualpa's men inside the tent, capturing the emperor. In Inca culture, attacking someone during a diplomatic meeting was so dishonorable that it would never have been attempted, which is likely why Atahualpa allowed the Spaniards into his tent without bringing many of his own guards.
Atahualpa promised to pay the Spanish a huge ransom; enough gold to fill a room and twice that much silver. The Inca paid the ransom, but Pizarro refused to release the emperor, executing him in 1533.
Pizarro placed Atahualpa's younger brother, Túpac Huallpa in power with the understanding that Túpac would submit to the Spanish. However, he died of smallpox that same year, and another brother, Manco Inca Yupanqui was placed on the throne. He cooperated at first, but in 1536 saw an opportunity to reclaim power when one of Pizarro's men started an uprising. Manco recaptured the Inca capital of Cusco, but was soon forced back out by the Spanish. He fled to the city of Vilcabamba in the high peaks of Peru and ruled there for 36 years while fighting the Spanish for absolute control of Peru.
Finally, in 1572 the Spanish captured Vilcabamba, which was being ruled by Manco's son, the great warrior Túpac Amaru. Túpac was executed, and the Inca Empire was officially defeated.
Lesson Summary
After Cortés led the Spanish in their first military conquest of the continental Americas, Francisco Pizarro was inspired to do the same in Peru, where he invaded the powerful Inca Empire. This was the largest empire in the western hemisphere, but when Pizarro invaded, it had been seriously weakened by disease and a civil war between two brothers for the throne.
The victor of this war, Atahualpa, met with Pizarro and let the Spanish come armed into his tent. Atahualpa probably did not consider this small group any real threat. He was full of pride from a recent victory, and he may never have considered that the Spanish would attack during a diplomatic meeting.
During this meeting, Pizarro read the Requerimiento, a speech that all conquistadors had to recite, offering the emperor a chance to convert to Christianity. Pizarro then captured Atahualpa, and later executed him, essentially toppling the empire in 1532. The next emperor, Manco Capac, managed to resist the Spanish for a few more years. By 1572, the Spanish finally captured and executed the last Inca emperor, Túpac Amaru, and the Inca Empire was officially defeated.
Learning Outcomes
The details of this video on the defeat of the Inca can help you to:
- Understand Pizarro's motivation for challenging the Inca
- Determine why the Inca Empire was weakened before meeting the Spanish
- Sum up the series of events that led to the fall of the Inca
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Inca Empire end and start?
The Inca Empire approximately began in 1438, when Pachacuti began the Inca conquest of the Andes. While the Spanish Empire would take control of much of the empire in 1533, the Inca people were only completely defeated in 1572.
How were the Inca people conquered?
The Inca Empire was conquered by Spain because of a combination of factors. Disease, brought from Europe, devastated Inca society and brought civil war. At this time of weakness, Francisco Pizarro invaded and kidnapped the Inca emperor. The Spanish conquistadores also had access to superior technology, such as guns and steel.
Who conquered the Inca Empire in 1533?
Francisco Pizarro, leading a band of a few hundred soldiers, executed the Inca emperor and seized the capital of Cusco in 1533. However, indigenous resistance would last decades.
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Unlock Your Education
See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com
Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Become a MemberAlready a member? Log In
BackPizarro's Conquest & the Inca Civil War | Who Conquered the Inca Empire?
Related Study Materials
Explore our library of over 84,000 lessons
Browse by subject