Inca Empire

Peru, 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

He transformed the Chiefdom of Cusco into the Inca Empire. During his reign, Cusco grew from a small town into an empire.

Portrait of Pachacútec: Unknown author, Public domain, file

Túpac Inca Yupanqui

Sapa Inca, 1471–1493

He became Sapa Inca in 1471, when his father died, and ruled until his own death in 1493. He conquered Chimor, the largest remaining rival to the Incas.

Portrait of Túpac Inca Yupanqui: Felipe Huaman Puma de Ayala, Public domain, file

Huayna Capac

Sapa Inca, 1493–1527

Tawantinsuyu reached its greatest extent under Huayna Capac, who expanded its borders south along the Chilean coast and north through what is now Ecuador and southern Colombia. He greatly expanded the Inca road system and had many storehouses built.

Portrait of Huayna Capac: Felipe Huaman Puma de Ayala, Public domain, file

Huascar

Sapa Inca, 1527–1532

He was Sapa Inca from 1527 to 1532 and succeeded his father, Huayna Capac. From 1529 to 1532, Huáscar fought a civil war against his half-brother Atahualpa, who prevailed and captured him.

Portrait of Huascar: Unknown author, Public domain, file

Atahualpa

Sapa Inca, 1532–1533

He was the last effective Inca emperor, reigning from April 1532 until his capture and execution in July-August of the following year. In November 1532, Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro captured him during an ambush at Cajamarca.

Portrait of Atahualpa: anonymous, Public domain, file

Culture

The Inca Empire was known for its monumental architecture, especially stonework, and an extensive road network reaching all corners of the empire.
Inca record keeping and communication relied on knotted strings called quipu.
Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with finely crafted dry-stone walls.

Picture

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru.

Image: Draceane, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.