Mitchell3

For the Incas the begining of the end came in 1532. Fransisco Pizarro arrived on the coast Peru with 180 Spaniards. They set out hoping to find El Dorado or "The City of Gold" It was fantasized that in El Dorado "was a city where gems were playthings and everyday objects were made of gold."[2] They did not find El Dorado but they found plenty of riches. Atahualpa began hearing "strange tales of travelers from afar journeying to meet him."[1] Pizzaro had almost made it to Cuzco when he sent a message for the Emperor to come and meet him. He set off accompanied by "an entourage of more than 5,000 he did not believe he could be hurt."[1] The Inca may have out numbered the Spanish but they were no match for their advanced weapons. The Spanish "had guns, cannons, horses, and armor." [1] The Incas wood weapons were no match.

When the Incas arrived at Pizarro's camp, most were killed and Atahualpa was taken captive. Pizarro demanded ransom for the safe return of Atahualpa. Atahualpa himself agreed to pay it. He filled one room full of gold and a smaller room twice with silver. With silver and gold from every corner of the empire he filled" a room 22 by 18 feet with gold to a height of 9 feet."[1] Even with all of this gold, Pizarro did not keep his promise. "Pizarro took the tresure, totaling 24 tons"[2] and in "1553 Atahualpa was baptized as a Christian and then killed."[1] This was the end of the Inca Empire.

Manco Inca was named emperor after the death of Atahualpa. Manco Inca was a "puppet emperor." He did exactly what the Spanish told him to do. "Soon he came to see the brutality and lack of principals of the Spanish."[2] After the death of Atahualpa they immediately began pillaging treasures, enslaving indigenous people, and raping Inca women. One of the Inca woman raped was Manco's wife. In 1536 Manco, loyal chiefs, and loyal soldiers escaped to the Andes Mountians to try one last rebellion. When they attacked they recaptured most of the capital but were forced out by fresh spanish troops. Manco was exiled until his death 35 years later.

Falconer, Kieran. __Cultures of the World__. Peru. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1995. [1] Corona, Laura. __Modern Nations of the World__. Peru. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001 [2] __Francisco Pizarro__ 04 May 2008 <[|http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Francisco-Pizarro-um1540.png>.] __Atahualpa__ 04 May 2008 <[|http://html.rincondelvago.com/files/4/0/2/000144022.jpg>.