Inca

The Inca were a pre-Colombian Andean civilization that, according to legend, emerged from a series of caves sometime in the 12th century. Living a pastoral lifestyle in modern-day Peru for some time, they eventually migrated to the Urubamba valley during the 13th century. Under their leader, the semi-legendary Manco Capac, the Inca seized control of the city of Cuzco and founded their kingdom there. In 1438, the ambitious ruler Cusi Yupanqui (1418-1472), known also as Pachacuti “The Earth Shaker” undertook a series of massive expansionist campaigns, dealing first with local enemies such as the fierce Chanca, then defeating the rival forces of his treacherous brother Urqu, and finally triumphing over the advanced and warlike Chimu civilization, which would go on to supply the Inca with some of their most feared warriors. Matching his military prowess with impressive administrative feats and reforms, Pachacuti organized his domain into Tawantinsuyu “The Four Regions”, more commonly termed the Inca Empire, and became its first Sapa Inca, or emperor. Pachacuti’s successor, Topa Inca Yupanqui (1441-1493), having accumulated considerable battle experience fighting under his father--traditionally, it was actually the son of the Sapa Inca who led the Inca forces in combat--continued Pachacuti’s expansionist policies. By the end of his reign, the Inca Empire had more than doubled in size. His son, Huayna Capac (1468-1524) was a skilled warrior as well as an administrator: vast territorial gains were accompanied by improvements to infrastructure, from fortresses and observatories to agricultural reforms and the expansion of the road network traversing the Inca Empire. At their height, the Inca were among the most advanced civilizations of their time. A vast road network connected all constituent regions, enabling efficient and swift travel. During the late 15th century, the Inca constructed over 10,000 tambos--administrative buildings that were staffed by locals conscripted through the mit’a corvee system--along these roadways. Agricultural productivity was bolstered by a vibrant and bustling trade network, and the bureaucracy managed these vast systems with the help of an ingenious calendar and the use of quipu, knotted strings that functioned as a writing system of sorts, for record-keeping. The standing army of the Inca was formed primarily by nobles, but the Sapa Inca could raise an army of able-bodied men from the general populace at will. Military discipline was strictly enforced when the troops were on the march and the army, although variously specialized, was extremely well trained. Inca warriors wore cloth armor that breathed well, allowed for free movement, and dissipated the force of blows. Drawing on the resources of a vast empire, the Inca recruited warriors from numerous subordinate tribes with their own military traditions, resulting in an extremely diverse and versatile military force. Battles tended to open with a hail of projectile weaponry before the forces closed in brutal melee combat. Spirituality also played a considerable role within the Inca Empire. Inca religion combined a complex set of ceremonial rites, animism, and, above all, worship of the sun-god Inti, who was considered the father of the Sapa Inca. The priestly class that presided over this system commanded immense social and political influence as curators of the people’s spiritual welfare and relationship with the divine. A major focus of this system was the impressive temple complex at Saqsahuaman, near Cuzco. Prosperity was not to last, however. An epidemic, probably smallpox spread by Spanish explorers, decimated the Inca population in the early 16th century. Simultaneously, the Inca Empire was rent by a bloody civil war between the brothers Atahuallpa and Huascar. Just as the war ended, Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro pounced on the weakened Inca in 1532, killing the Sapa Inca and swiftly subjugating the region. Manco Inca Yupanqui (1515-1544) led the surviving Inca in a desperate and initially successful war of resistance, but was slain by Spanish conquistadors after a decade in power. In 1572, the last Inca stronghold at Vilcabamba was seized and its ruler, Topa Amaru, executed. The Inca Empire, a marvel for the ages, had been extinguished.

From the game's History encyclopedia.