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The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, also known as the Conquest of Peru, began in 1532 with the capture of the Inca emperor Atahualpa by Francisco Pizarro and his small band of conquistadors. The Inca Empire, or Tawantinsuyu, was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, stretching along the Andes from present-day Colombia to Chile. Several key factors contributed to the Spanish victory, including the ongoing Inca Civil War between the brothers Huáscar and Atahualpa, the technological superiority of the Spanish military (including horses, firearms, and steel weapons), and the devastating impact of European diseases.

The arrival of the Spanish had catastrophic consequences for the native population, primarily due to infectious diseases like smallpox and measles, to which the indigenous people had no immunity. As a result, the Inca population plummeted from an estimated 10 to 15 million in 1520 to fewer than 3 million by 1570. In addition to the demographic collapse, the conquest led to widespread enslavement and the destruction of much of Inca culture. The Spanish imposed their own language, customs, and religion, swiftly converting the indigenous people to Catholicism.

The Inca road system, Qhapaq Ñan, played a critical role in both the Spanish conquest and the subsequent colonization, allowing for the rapid movement of troops and supplies. The fall of the Inca Empire culminated in 1572, with the capture and execution of the last Inca emperor, Túpac Amaru, marking the definitive end of Inca rule.

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Inca-n’t Believe It: How Pizarro Took Down an Empire (with Guns, Horses, and Germs) 17:49 Share

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Inca-n’t Believe It: How Pizarro Took Down an Empire (with Guns, Horses, and Germs)