Although pacific by nature, the Incas built up their vast empire by
conquest. Not one reign lacked great military campaigns, and in all
of them the necessity of introducing the worship of the Sun gave
rulers a pretext as plausible as the followers of Mahomet had for
their great wars. Wherever it was possible, peaceful methods were
employed. Persuasion, diplomacy and bribery were all tried; if these
were unsuccessful, war was declared, but only after the failure of
all the arts used in the acquisition of an empire by the most subtle
politicians of a civilized land.
Immediately on the declaration of war, mobilization took place with
extreme rapidity, for the Incas aimed early to secure such an obvious
strategical advantage that their enemies would wisely surrender without
a struggle. This was made possible by the remarkable series of roads
constructed throughout the empire. In times of peace these served
as post roads, which enabled the Incas to have surprisingly rapid
intercommunication. At convenient places storehouses were located.
These were always kept completely equipped, so that the mobilization
of the Inca armies, which sometimes totaled 200,000 men, provided the
minimum of inconvenience for the civilian population.
Contrary to the customs of some of our supposedly civilized modern
nations, the Incas forbade their soldiers engaging in any unnecessary
outrages, and punished such infractions of the law very severely. Even
after the war had commenced, the Incas were always ready at any time to
bring about peace. At the conclusion of hostilities they adopted the
policy of the Romans, gaining more by clemency to the vanquished than
by their victories.
As soon as the reduction of a country had been brought about, measures
were taken to insure the loyalty of those newly conquered. The first
step was the introduction of the worship of the Sun. No disrespect
was shown to the local gods, but an acceptance of the priority of
the Sun was always enforced. Often-times the peoples’ own gods were
treated as hostages and removed to Cuzco. The Inca system of government
was, of course, always imposed. Land was cultivated according to the
well-regulated schemes of the Incas, which included fertilization, crop
rotation, and careful supervision to see that the desired amount of
acreage was devoted to each product. The Quichua language was enforced.
The new members of the empire were assigned their particular style of
clothing and hair-dressing. Roads were built to all parts of the new
territories and absolute amalgamation was eventually secured.
In some instances, where the loyalty of the conquered was doubtful, a
portion of them were removed, bag and baggage, to some locality where
they would be surrounded by inhabitants of whose loyalty there was no
question. Some of the latter were then sent to occupy the lands of the
exiles.
Through successive reigns the same policy was continued. Each Inca
took up the work where his predecessor had been compelled to leave it,
and tried to do his share in advancing the boundaries of the empire.
Each Inca’s life was a “crusade against the infidel to spread the
worship of the Sun, to reclaim the benighted nations from their brutish
superstitions, and to impart to them the blessings of a well-regulated
government.”
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: LLAMAS LADEN WITH FAGOTS COMING INTO CUZCO, PERU]
_THE INCAS_
_The Incas’ Food Supply_