Atahualpa
The last sovereign emperor of the Inca Empire

Atahualpa was born in Cusco, 1502. Son of Huayna Capac, emperor, and Tupac Paclla, princess of Quito, was favored by his father, who, shortly before he died in 1525, decided to leave the kingdom of Quito, the northern part of the Inca Empire to him.

Huascar, his brother, was in charge of the Kingdom of Cusco.

Although initially the relations between the two kingdoms were peaceful, the two brother's ambition to expand their domains led to a long and bloody civil war. He defeated his brother Huascar at the battle of Quipaypán.

By this time, a Spanish expedition led by Francisco Pizarro had just arrived to Peru. The Spanish conquistadors arrived to Cajamarca on November 15, 1532 and arranged a meeting with the Inca sovereign through two emissaries.

The next day, The Inca Emperor entered the square of the city with about four thousand men almost disarmed, to meet with Pizarro, who had his artillery pieces hidden in the buildings surrounding the place.

The Incas never felt threatened because the spaniards were just under two hundred men but they didn´t know about the power of the conquistadors firearms.

The Spaniards attacked with firearms, swords and horses. An horrific slaughter happened killing at least 4000, the Inca emperor was kidnapped and kept alive for eight-months.

Promised freedom in exchange for a room full of gold and two rooms full of silver, Atahualpa ordered the Incas to pay the ransom. After it had been paid, he was accused of revolting against the Spanish and murdering Huáscar, his own brother so he was strangled .


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