The Inca sovereigns about whom tradition tells us enough so that they
may be considered historical personages are twelve in number. The
first of these, Sinchi Rocca (seen´-chee rok-kä), or Rocca the Great,
was the first ruler after the return of the Incas to Cuzco (coos´-ko)
at the close of their long exile in Tampu-tocco (täm-poo-tok´-ko). He
reigned from 1134-1197, according to the chronology of Dr. Gonzales
de la Rosa (gon-sä-lays day lä ro´-sä), the most eminent of modern
Peruvian historians. Rocca owed his position to a cleverly executed
plot contrived by his mother. She dressed him in glittering gold
apparel, and hid him in the Chingana (cheen-gä´-nä) Cave on Sacsahuaman
(säk-sä-wä´-män) Hill. At intervals for several days excited Cuzqueñans
(koos-kayn-yäns) beheld a golden vision moving on the fortress heights.
Eventually, after their curiosity and fanatical credulity had been
sufficiently aroused, the vision descended into the city. It gave
itself over to the crowd, allowed itself to be conducted to the temple,
and there proclaimed itself the adopted son of the Solar Deity. Under
Rocca, the Temple of the Sun was enlarged and the city greatly improved.
There is some question among historians as to the acts of Rocca’s
successors, Lloque Yupanqui (lyo´-kay yoo-pän´-kee) and Mayta Ccapac
(my´-tä k-kä´-päk), who reigned from 1197-1246, and 1246-1276,
respectively. Garcilaso (gär-see-lä´-so) records their conquering the
Cana (kä´-nä) and Colla (kol´-yä) people in the southwest, building
a Sun Temple at Hatun-Colla (ä-toom-kol´-yä), carrying on warfare
along the shores of Lake Titicaca (tee-tee-kä´-kä), and Lake Aullagas
(aul-yä´-gas), and on the west, going as far as Lake Parinaccochas
(pär-een-äk-ko´-chäs) and Arequipa (a-ray-kee´-pä). But the majority
of historians represent the first three Incas as confining themselves
more or less to the Cuzco Valley, and gradually, by diplomatic means,
extending their influence over the surrounding inhabitants.
Ccapac Yupanqui (yoo-pän-kee), 1276-1321, made the region to the
southeast the theatre of his operations, and Garcilaso credits him with
reaching Potosi (po-tos´-ee). Inca Rocca, 1321-1348, improved the water
supply of Cuzco (would that he might come again), founded schools,
and militariwise, attempted to penetrate the Amazonian forests. His
son, Yahuar-Huaccac (yä´-wär-wäk´-käk) (weeping-blood), 1348-1370, was
rather a nonentity. His name was acquired as follows, says tradition:
While a child he fell into hostile hands. At the point of death he was
seen to be weeping tears of blood. This so affected his enemy that he
was permitted to live; he eventually escaped to his own people after a
life of hardship among some shepherds.
He was followed by Uiraccocha (weer-äk-ko´-chä), 1370-1425, in whose
reign occurred the invasion of the Chancas (chän´-käs). The invaders
were finally driven out, chiefly through the bravery of his son,
Pachacuti (päch-ä-koo´-tee), who reigned from 1425-1478. Under this
rule and that of his successors, Tupac Yupanqui, 1478-1488, and Huayna
Ccapac (wy´-nä k-kä´-päk), 1488-1525, the Inca dominion grew from a
comparatively small confederation to the great, imperial state found
by the Spaniards. Huascar (wäs´-kär), the successor of Huayna Ccapac,
was overthrown and taken prisoner by his natural brother, Atahuallpa
(ä-tä-wäl´-pä), about the time that Pizarro entered Peru. When the
latter heard of the quarrel between the two brothers he determined to
settle it. Fearful lest the decision should go against him, Atahuallpa
had Huascar murdered, and this act provided Pizarro with an excuse for
the execution of Atahuallpa.
After he had acquired complete control of the country, Pizarro
elevated the Inca Manco (män´-co) to the throne. This proud youth
soon tired of the farce and fled to the fastnesses of the Vilcabamba
(veel-cä-bäm´-bä) mountains. Here he and his successors, Sayri Tupac
(sigh-ree too´-päk) and Tupac-Amaru (too´-päk-ä-mä´-roo), maintained
their independence until 1571, when the latter was captured by the
Viceroy Toledo, brought to Cuzco, and there beheaded in the great
square.
In 1781, a descendant of Tupac-Amaru bearing his name, led a revolt
against the barbarous oppression of the Spaniards, only to fail and
suffer torture, together with his whole family. In 1814, Pumacagua
(poo-mäk-ä´-wä), also of Inca ancestry, started an abortive uprising,
which, although a failure, was the beginning of the struggle which was
to eventually break the power of Spain in Peru.
PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 6, No 3, SERIAL No. 151
COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, INC.
[Illustration: RUINS OF A TYPICAL INCA CITY]
_THE INCAS_
_The Expansionist Policies of the Incas_