The rise and fall of the Inca Empire - Gordon McEwan

Summary

The Inca Empire, once the Western Hemisphere's largest, thrived without wheels, horses, iron, or writing. It was a monumental civilization that built vast administrative centers and infrastructure across 900,000 square kilometers. Founded by Manco Capac, it grew under Pachacuti's reforms and expanded under Topa Inca and Huayna Capac. However, internal strife and the arrival of the Spanish, who brought diseases and military might, led to a devastating civil war and the empire's fall. By 1572, the once-mighty Inca civilization was no more, its legacy largely erased by the Spanish conquest.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The Inca Empire was the largest in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 10 million subjects over an area of more than 900,000 square kilometers.
• 🏰 The Incas built massive administrative centers, temples, and extensive road and canal systems in extreme terrain without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or written language.
• 🌅 The Inca rulers' ancestors were believed to be created by the sun god Inti and emerged from the cave Tambo Toco, with Ayar Manco leading the search for fertile soil.
• 🏙️ The Incas first settled in the Cuzco Valley around 1200 CE and remained a small kingdom until the 15th century.
• 🛡️ Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler, expanded the kingdom into an empire through extensive reforms and military skill, becoming known as 'Cataclysm'.
• 📜 The Inca Empire used a complex system of knotted strings called quipu for record-keeping, despite the absence of a written language.
• 🔢 A decimal-based bureaucracy allowed for systematic and efficient taxation, with the empire providing security, infrastructure, and sustenance in return.
• 🌾 The Incas developed advanced agricultural techniques, including terraces and irrigation, to support a diverse range of crops grown at different altitudes.
• 🏰 Machu Picchu, a famous estate, was constructed during Pachacuti’s reign, showcasing the architectural prowess of the Inca civilization.
• 💥 The Inca Empire faced internal strife and external threats, with a civil war between Atahualpa and Huascar weakening the empire before the arrival of the Spanish.
• 🗡️ Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, overcame the Inca with superior weaponry and tactics, capturing and killing Atahualpa.
• 🏛️ Despite the fall of the capital Cuzco, the Incas resisted in a new capital at Vilcabamba for 40 years before the final Spanish conquest in 1572.

Q & A

What was the population of the Inca Empire at its peak?

The Inca Empire had a population of nearly 10 million subjects at its peak.

How large was the territory of the Inca Empire?

The territory of the Inca Empire was more than 900,000 square kilometers.

What were some of the unique challenges the Inca faced in building their empire?

The Inca faced challenges such as inhospitable and extreme terrain, and they built their empire without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or a written language.

What is the legend about the creation of the Inca rulers?

According to legend, the ancestors of the Inca rulers were created by the sun god Inti and emerged from a cave called Tambo Toco, led by Ayar Manco.

Who was the first Sapa Inca, or king of the Incas, and how was he chosen?

The first Sapa Inca was Manco Capac, who was chosen after he and his siblings found the Cuzco Valley where his golden staff sank into the ground, indicating fertile soil.

When did the Incas first settle in the Cuzco Valley according to archaeological evidence?

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Incas first settled in the Cuzco Valley around 1200 CE.

How did Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler, come to power?

Pachacuti came to power after successfully rallying the city's defenses against the neighboring Chanka tribe when the Inca king Viracocha and his designated heir fled in fear.

What was the administrative structure of the Inca Empire known as?

The administrative structure of the Inca Empire was known as Tahuantinsuyu, or 'four quarters,' with four divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.

How did the Inca record information without a written language?

The Inca used a complex system of knotted strings called quipu to record numbers and possibly other information.

What was the purpose of the storehouses maintained by the Inca Empire?

The storehouses maintained by the Inca Empire contained necessities to be used when needed, providing security, infrastructure, and sustenance to the empire's subjects.

What was the impact of the Spanish conquistadors on the Inca Empire?

The Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, brought diseases that devastated the Inca population, caused a civil war, and eventually conquered the Inca Empire, leading to its fall by 1572.

Which Inca ruler was responsible for the construction of the famous estate of Machu Picchu?

The famous estate of Machu Picchu was constructed during the reign of Pachacuti's son, Topa Inca.

What event led to the Spanish conquistadors encountering Atahualpa and his army?

Atahualpa and his army encountered the Spanish conquistadors after he had won the Inca civil war in 1532.

How did the Spanish conquistadors manage to defeat the much larger Inca force?

The Spanish conquistadors, though greatly outnumbered, stunned the Inca force with the use of guns and horses, which the Incas had never seen before.

What was the fate of the Inca Empire after the fall of their capital, Cuzco?

After the fall of Cuzco and the devastation caused by civil war and disease, some Incas retreated to a new capital at Vilcabamba and resisted for 40 years, but by 1572, the Spaniards had destroyed all remaining resistance and much of the Incas' physical and cultural legacy.