History of Peru

Wari Empire, 600 CE–1100 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Wari Empire emerged in around 600 CE in Peru's Ayacucho Basin and grew to cover much of coastal and highland Peru. It lasted for about 500 years, until 1100 CE. The state collapsed in about 1100, likely because of environmental change and internal socio-political stresses.

Seat of power: Huari

Chimor, 900 CE–1470 Draft, not yet reviewed

Chimor was the political grouping of the Chimú culture, which arose about 900 CE. Chimor was the largest kingdom in the Late Intermediate Period, covering 1,000 kilometres of the Peruvian coastline. It was conquered by the Inca emperor Topa Inca Yupanqui around 1470.

Seat of power: Chan Chan

Inca Empire, 1438–1533 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. From 1438 to 1533, the Incas incorporated a large portion of western South America, using conquest and peaceful assimilation. In 1532, the Spanish began the conquest of the Inca Empire, and by 1572 the last Inca state was fully conquered.

Seat of power: Cusco

Rulers

• Pachacútec, Sapa Inca, 1438–1471
• Túpac Inca Yupanqui, Sapa Inca, 1471–1493
• Huayna Capac, Sapa Inca, 1493–1527
• Huascar, Sapa Inca, 1527–1532
• Atahualpa, Sapa Inca, 1532–1533

Viceroyalty of Peru, 1542–1824 Draft, not yet reviewed

Created in 1542, it covered modern Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in South America, and was governed from the capital, Lima. Peru greatly contributed to the wealth of the region and to Spain, with the discovery of gold, silver, and mercury. The Capitulation of Ayacucho, signed on December 9, 1824, marked the end of the royalist military effort.

Seat of power: Lima

Rulers

• Luis de Velasco, 1st Marquess of Salinas, Viceroy of Peru, 1596–1604
• Diego Fernández de Córdoba, Marquis of Guadalcázar, Viceroy of Peru, 1622–1629
• Pedro de Toledo, 1st Marquis of Mancera, Viceroy of Peru, 1639–1648
• Luis Enríquez de Guzmán, 9th Count of Alba de Liste, Viceroy of Peru, 1655–1661
• Diego de Benavides, Viceroy of Peru, 1661–1666
• Melchor de Navarra, Duke of Palata, Viceroy of Peru, 1681–1689
• Diego Morcillo Rubio de Auñón, Viceroy of Peru, 1720–1724
• José Manso de Velasco, 1st Count of Superunda, Viceroy of Peru, 1745–1761
• Manuel d'Amat i de Junyent, Viceroy of Peru, 1761–1776
• Agustín de Jáuregui, Viceroy of Peru, 1780–1784
• Francisco Gil de Taboada, Viceroy of Peru, 1790–1796
• Ambrosio O'Higgins, 1st Marquis of Osorno, Viceroy of Peru, 1796–1801
• Gabriel de Avilés, 2nd Marquis of Avilés, Viceroy of Peru, 1801–1806
• José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, Viceroy of Peru, 1806–1816
• Joaquín de la Pezuela, 1st Marquis of Viluma, Viceroy of Peru, 1816–1821

Peru, 1821 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Peru formally proclaimed independence from Spain in 1821, and it completed its independence in 1824 after the decisive battle of Ayacucho. The country first suffered from political instability until a period of relative economic and political stability began due to the exploitation of guano. Throughout the 20th century, Peru grappled with political and social instability, interspersed with periods of economic growth.

Seat of power: Lima

Rulers

• Augusto Leguía, President of Peru, 1919–1930
• Óscar R. Benavides, President of Peru, 1933–1939
• Manuel Prado Ugarteche, President of Peru, 1939–1945
• Manuel Odría, President of Peru, 1948–1956
• Manuel Prado Ugarteche, President of Peru, 1956–1962
• Fernando Belaúnde, President of Peru, 1963–1968
• Juan Velasco Alvarado, President of Peru, 1968–1975
• Francisco Morales Bermúdez, President of Peru, 1975–1980
• Fernando Belaúnde, President of Peru, 1980–1985
• Alan García, President of Peru, 1985–1990
• Alberto Fujimori, President of Peru, 1990–2000
• Alejandro Toledo, President of Peru, 2001–2006
• Alan García, President of Peru, 2006–2011
• Ollanta Humala, President of Peru, 2011–2016
• Keiko Fujimori, President of Peru, 2026 to today