The rise and fall of the Inca Empire - Gordon McEwan

Origins and Mythos00:00:07

The Inca Empire was the largest in the Western Hemisphere, thriving in extreme terrain without wheels, horses, iron, or writing. Legends trace their origin to Manco Capac, who founded the capital, Cuzco, after a divine search for fertile land.

Rise of the Empire under Pachacuti00:01:41

Following a successful defense against the Chanka tribe in 1438, the leader Pachacuti transformed the small kingdom into an empire. He implemented a 'four quarters' organizational system, a decimal-based bureaucracy for taxation, and the use of quipu for record-keeping.

Expansion and Vulnerability00:03:17

Under successors Topa Inca and Huayna Capac, the empire expanded across South America. However, European contact brought foreign diseases that decimated the population, leading to the death of the king and his heir, which triggered a destabilizing civil war.

Spanish Conquest and Collapse00:04:16

The civil war between Atahualpa and Huascar weakened the empire just as Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro arrived. Using superior military technology, the Spanish captured the king, dismantled the capital of Cuzco, and extinguished final resistance by 1572.