Inca -- Fall of the Empire

​When the Sapa Inca died, two of his sons claimed the throne. This led to a civil war.

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The war lasted five years. One brother finally won the war, but the people were exhausted.

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​The army had been weakened by many deaths. New warriors had not yet been trained in enough numbers to replace them.

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When the battles were over, the son named Atahualpa (/ah*tah*wahl*pah/) had won.

​Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro. Pizarro had heard rumors of an empire in South America that was even richer than the Aztec Empire. In 1527, Pizarro led a group of about 160 men to find this empire.

Many Spanish soldiers and explorers traveled to the Americas after Christopher Columbus made the first trip in 1492.

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These conquistadors sailed to the Americas to conquer the native peoples, to spread Christianity, and to look for gold and other treasure.

​When Pizarro found Inca temples decorated with gold and silver, he figured he had found what he was looking for.

​The Spaniards marched toward Cuzco. They traveled along the very roads that the Inca had built to unite their empire.

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Meanwhile, speedy Inca messengers told Atahualpa that the Spaniards were coming.

​Pizarro knew they were in trouble the minute he entered their fabulous capital city. There was gold everywhere. There were people everywhere. There were temples and beautiful art. This was a civilization, and an organized one. Pizarro and his men planned all night how to escape. They knew they had very little chance of success.

​The next morning, the Sapa Inca visited the Spanish. He brought about 2000 attendants and priests with him, which for the Sapa Inca, was normal. None of the 2000 attendants were armed. None were warriors.

​The Spanish grabbed the Sapa Inca, holding him tightly by the throat. The 2000 attendants and priests did not know what to do. Nobody touched the Sapa Inca without his permission.

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The Spanish quickly killed nearly all the 2000 attendants, while they stood frozen in shock.

​The Sapa Inca was startled, but he was also a quick thinker. From listening to the men, he learned that all they wanted was gold and silver. He offered them a ransom for his release, a room full of gold and silver. The Spanish could take it and safely leave.

​The Spanish took the gold and silver and then....

​The Spanish killed the Sapa Inca!

​The Sapa Inca’s death was the beginning of the end for the Inca Empire.

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But they had been:

1. weakened by civil war

2. ​sick from diseases

3. ​didn't have good weapons

​An outbreak of smallpox also swept through the city. This disease was carried by the conquistadors.

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The Aztec had no immunities against European diseases.

​By June of 1534, Pizarro had conquered Cuzco and Quito. A few years later, the Spanish conquest of the region was mostly complete.