History of the Incas

P >> Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa >> History of the Incas

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[Note 109: Garcilasso de la Vega says that the meaning of _Yanacona_
is "a man who is under the obligation to perform the duties of a
servant." Balboa, p. 129, tells the same story of the origin of the
_Yanaconas_ as in the text. The amnesty was granted on the banks of the
river Yana-yacu, and here they were called Yana-yacu-cuna, corrupted
into Yana-cona. The Spaniards adopted the word for all Indians in
domestic service, as distinguished from _mitayos_ or forced labourers.]

He intended his schemes to be kept secret, but Tupac Inca was informed
of them and came to Cuzco. He had been away at the ceremony of arming
one of his sons named Ayar Manco. Having convinced himself that his
information was correct, he killed Tupac Ccapac with all his councillors
and supporters. Finding that many tribes had been left out of the
visitation by him, for this attempt, Tupac Inca went in person from
Cuzco, to investigate the matter and finish the visitation.

While doing this the Inca came to a place called Yana-yacu, which means
"black water" because a stream of a very dark colour flows down that
valley, and for that reason they call the river and valley Yana-yacu. Up
to this point he had been inflicting very cruel punishment without
pardoning any one who was found guilty either in word or deed. In this
valley of Yana-yacu his sister and wife, Mama Ocllo, asked him not to
continue such cruelties, which were more butchery and inhumanity than
punishment, and not to kill any more but to pardon them, asking for them
as her servants. In consequence of this intercession, the Inca ceased
the slaughter, and said that he would grant a general pardon. As the
pardon was proclaimed in Yana-yacu, he ordered that all the pardoned
should be called Yana-yacus. They were known as not being allowed to
enter in the number of servants of the House of the Sun, nor those of
the visitation. So they remained under the Curacas. This affair being
finished, the visitation made by Tupac Ccapac was considered to be of no
effect. So the Inca returned to Cuzco with the intention of ordering
another visitation to be made afresh.

LII.

TUPAC INCA YUPANQUI ORDERS A SECOND VISITATION OF THE LAND, AND DOES
OTHER THINGS.

As the visitation entrusted to Tupac Ccapac was not to his liking, the
Inca revoked it, and nominated another brother named Apu Achachi to be
visitor-general. The Inca ordered him not to include the Yana-yacus in
the visitation, because they were unworthy to enter into the number of
the rest, owing to what they had done, Apu Achachi set out and made his
general visitation, reducing many of the Indians to live in villages and
houses who had previously lived in caves and hills and on the banks of
rivers, each one by himself. He sent those in strong fastnesses into
plains, that they might have no site for a fortress, on the strength of
which they might rebel. He reduced them into provinces, giving them
their Curacas in the order already described. He did not make the son of
the deceased a Curaca, but the man who had most ability and aptitude for
the service. If the appointment did not please the Inca he, without more
ado, dismissed him and appointed another, so that no Curaca, high or
low, felt secure in his appointment. To these Curacas were given
servants, women and estates, submitting an account of them, for, though
they were Curacas, they could not take a thing of their own authority,
without express leave from the Inca.

In each province all those of the province made a great sowing of every
kind of edible vegetable for the Inca, his overseers coming to the
harvest. Above all there was a _Tucurico Apu_, who was the
governor-lieutenant of the Inca in that province. It is true that the
first Inca who obliged the Indians of this land to pay tribute of
everything, and in quantity, was Inca Yupanqui. But Tupac Inca imposed
rules and fixed the tribute they must pay, and divided it according to
what each province was to contribute as well for the general tax as
those for _Huacas_, and Houses of the Sun. [_In this way the people were
so loaded with tributes and taxes, that they had to work perpetually
night and day to pay them, and even then they could not comply, and had
no time for sufficient labour to suffice for their own maintenance_.]

Tupac Inca divided the estates throughout the whole empire, according to
the measure which they call _tupu_.

He divided the months of the year, with reference to labour in the
fields, as follows. Three months in the year were allotted to the
Indians for the work of their own fields, and the rest must be given up
to the work of the Sun, of _huacas_, and of the Inca. In the three
months that were given to themselves, one was for ploughing and sowing,
one for reaping, and another in the summer for festivals, and for make
and mend clothes days. The rest of their time was demanded for the
service of the Sun and the Incas.

This Inca ordered that there should be merchants who might profit by
their industry in this manner. When any merchant brought gold, silver,
precious stones, or other valuable things for sale, they were to be
asked where they got them, and in this way they gave information
respecting the mines and places whence the valuables had been taken.
Thus a very great many mines of gold and silver, and of very fine
colours, were discovered.

This Inca had two Governors-General in the whole empire, called Suyuyoc
Apu[110]; one resided at Xauxa and the other at Tiahuanacu in
Colla-suyu.

[Note 110: _Suyu_ a great division of the empire, or a province.
_Yoc_ a terminal particle denoting possession or office.]

Tupac Inca ordered the seclusion of certain women in the manner of our
professed nuns, maidens of 12 years and upwards, who were called
_acllas_[111]. From thence they were taken to be given in marriage to
the _Tucurico Apu_, or by order of the Inca who, when any captain
returned with victory, distributed the _acllas_ to captains, soldiers
and other servants who had pleased him, as gracious gifts which were
highly valued. As they took out some, they were replaced by others, for
there must always be the number first ordained by the Inca. If any man
takes one out, or is caught inside with one they are both hanged, tied
together.

[Note 111: _Aclla_ means chosen, selected.]

This Inca made many ordinances, in his tyrannical mode of government,
which will be given in a special volume.

LIII.

TUPAC INCA MAKES THE FORTRESS OF CUZCO.

After Tupac Inca Yupanqui had visited all the empire and had come to
Cuzco where he was served and adored, being for the time idle, he
remembered that his father Pachacuti had called the city of Cuzco the
lion city. He said that the tail was where the two rivers unite which
flow through it[112], that the body was the great square and the houses
round it, and that the head was wanting. It would be for some son of his
to put it on. The Inca discussed this question with the _orejones_, who
said that the best head would be to make a fortress on a high plateau to
the north of the city.

[Note 112: This district of Cuzco has always been called _Pumap
chupan_ or tail of the puma.]

This being settled, the Inca sent to all the provinces, to order the
tucuricos to supply a large number of people for the work of the
fortress. Having come, the workmen were divided into parties, each one
having its duties and officers. Thus some brought stones, others worked
them, others placed them. The diligence was such that in a few years,
the great fortress of Cuzco was built, sumptuous, exceedingly strong, of
rough stone, a thing most admirable to look upon. The buildings within
it were of small worked stone, so beautiful that, if it had not been
seen, it would not be believed how strong and beautiful it was. What
makes it still more worthy of admiration is that they did not possess
tools to work the stone, but could only work with other stones. This
fortress was intact until the time of the differences between Pizarro
and Almagro, after which they began to dismantle it, to build with its
stones the houses of Spaniards in Cuzco, which are at the foot of the
fortress. Great regret is felt by those who see the ruins. When it was
finished, the Inca made many store houses round Cuzco for provisions and
clothing, against times of necessity and of war; which was a measure of
great importance[113].

[Note 113: This fortress of Cuzco, on the Sacsahuaman Hill, was well
described by Cieza de Leon and in greater detail by Garcilasso de la
Vega, ii. pp. 305--318. Both ascribe it to Inca Yupanqui or his son
Tupac Inca, as does Sarmiento. The extensive edifices, built of masonry
of his period, were no doubt the work of Tupac Inca who thus got credit
for the whole. These later edifices were pulled down by the Spaniards,
for material for building their houses in the city. But the wonderful
cyclopean work that remains is certainly of much more ancient date, and
must be assigned, like Tiahuanacu, to the far distant age of the
monolithic empire.]

LIV.

DEATH OF TUPAC INCA YUPANQUI.

Having visited and divided the lands, and built the fortress of Cuzco,
besides edifices and houses without number, Tupac Inca Yupanqui went to
Chinchero[114], a town near Cuzco, where he had very rich things for his
recreation; and there he ordered extensive gardens to be constructed to
supply his household. When the work was completed he fell ill of a grave
infirmity, and did not wish to be visited by anyone. But as he became
worse and felt the approach of death, he sent for the _orejones_ of
Cuzco, his relations, and when they had assembled in his presence he
said: "My relations and friends! I would have you to know that the Sun
my Father desires to take me to himself, and I wish to go and rest with
him. I have called you to let you know who it is that I desire to
succeed me as lord and sovereign, and who is to rule and govern you."
They answered that they grieved much at his illness, that as the Sun his
father had so willed it so must it be, that his will must be done, and
they besought the Inca to nominate him who was to be sovereign in his
place. Tupac Inca then replied: "I nominate for my successor my son Titu
Cusi Hualpa, son of my sister and wife, Mama Ocllo." For this they
offered many thanks, and afterwards the Inca sank down on his pillow and
died, having lived 85 years.

[Note 114: Chinchero is a village near Cuzco, on the heights
overlooking the lovely valley of Yucay, with magnificent mountains in
the background. The remains of the Inca palace are still standing, not
unlike those on the Colcampata at Cuzco.]

Tupac Inca succeeded his father at the age of 18 years. He had two
legitimate sons, 60 bastards, and 30 daughters. Some say that at the
time of his death, or a short time before, he had nominated one of his
illegitimate sons to succeed him named Ccapac Huari, son of a concubine
whose name was Chuqui Ocllo.

He left a lineage or _ayllu_ called _Ccapac Ayllu_, whose heads, who
sustain it and are now living, are Don Andres Tupac Yupanqui, Don
Cristobal Pisac Tupac, Don Garcia Vilcas, Don Felipe Tupac Yupanqui, Don
Garcia Azache, and Don Garcia Pilco. They are Hanan-cuzcos.

The deceased Inca was frank, merciful in peace, cruel in war and
punishments, a friend to the poor, a great man of indefatigable industry
and a notable builder. [_He was the greatest tyrant of all the Incas_.]
He died in the year 1528. Chalco Chima burnt his body in 1533, when he
captured Huascar, as will be related in its place. The ashes, with his
idol or _guauqui_ called _Cusi-churi_, were found in Calis-puquiu where
the Indians had concealed it, and offered to it many sacrifices.

LV.

THE LIFE OF HUAYNA CCAPAC, ELEVENTH INCA[115].

[Note 115: All authorities agree that Huayna Ccapac was the son and
successor of Tupac Inca.]

As soon as Tupac Inca was dead, the _orejones_, who were with him at the
time of his death, proceeded to Cuzco for the customary ceremonies.
These were to raise the Inca his successor before the death of his
father had become known to him, and to follow the same order as in the
case of the death of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. As the wives and sons of
Tupac Inca also went to Cuzco, the matter could not be kept secret. A
woman who had been a concubine of the late Inca, named Ccuri Ocllo, a
kins-woman of Ccapac Huari, as soon as she arrived at Cuzco, spoke to
her relations and to Ccapac Huari in these words. "Sirs and relations!
Know that Tupac Inca is dead and that, when in health, he had named
Ccapac Huari for his successor, but at the end, being on the point of
death, he said that Titu Cusi Hualpa, son of Mama Ocllo, should succeed
him. You ought not to consent to this. Rather call together all your
relations and friends, and raise Ccapac Huari, your elder brother, son
of Chuqui Ocllo, to be Inca." This seemed well to all the relations of
Ccapac Huari, and they sent to assemble all the other relations on his
behalf.

While this was proceeding, the _orejones_ of Cuzco, knowing nothing of
it, were arranging how to give the fringe to Titu Cusi Hualpa. The plot
of the party of Ccapac Huari became known to the late Inca's brother,
Huaman Achachi. He assembled some friends, made them arm themselves, and
they went to where Titu Cusi Hualpa was retired and concealed. They then
proceeded to where the friends of Ccapac Huari had assembled, and killed
many of them, including Ccapac Huari himself. Others say that they did
not kill Ccapac Huari at that time, but only took him. His mother Chuqui
Ocllo was taken and, being a rebel as well as a witch who had killed her
lord Tupac Inca, she was put to death. Ccapac Huari was banished to
Chinchero, where he was given a maintenance, but he was never allowed to
enter Cuzco again until his death. They also killed the woman Ccuri
Ocllo, who had advised the raising of Ccapac Huari to the Incaship.

LVI.

THEY GIVE THE FRINGE OF INCA TO HUAYNA CCAPAC, THE ELEVENTH INCA.

The city of Cuzco being pacified, Huaman Achachi went to Quispicancha,
three leagues from Cuzco, where Titu Cusi Hualpa was concealed, and
brought his nephew to Cuzco, to the House of the Sun. After the
sacrifices and accustomed ceremonies, the image of the Sun delivered the
fringe to Titu Cusi Hualpa.

This being done, and the new Inca having been invested with all the
insignia of Ccapac, and placed in a rich litter, they bore him to the
_huaca_ Huanacauri, where he offered a sacrifice. The _orejones_
returned to Cuzco by the route taken by Manco Ccapac.

Arrived at the first square, called Rimac-pampa, the accession was
announced to the people, and they were ordered to come and do homage to
the new Inca. When they all assembled, and saw how young he was, never
having seen him before, they all raised their voices and called him
_Huayna Ccapac_ which means "the boy chief" or "the boy sovereign." For
this reason he was called Huayna Ccapac from that time, and the name
Titu Cusi Hualpa was no longer used. They celebrated festivals, armed
him as a knight, adored, and presented many gifts---as was customary.

LVII.

THE FIRST ACTS OF HUAYNA CCAPAC AFTER HE BECAME INCA.

As Huayna Ccapac was very young when he succeeded, they appointed a
tutor and coadjutor for him named Hualpaya, a son of Ccapac Yupanqui,
brother of Inca Yupanqui. This prince made a plot to raise himself to
the Incaship, but it became known to Huaman Achachi, then Governor of
Chinchay-suyu. At the time he was in Cuzco, and he and his people killed
Hualpaya and others who were culpable.

Huaman Achachi assumed the government, but always had as a councillor
his own brother Auqui Tupac Inca. In course of time Huayna Ccapac went
to the House of the Sun, held a visitation, took account of the
officials, and provided what was necessary for the service, and for that
of the _Mama-cunas_. He took the chief custodianship of the Sun from him
who then held it, and assumed the office himself with the title of
"Shepherd of the Sun." He next visited the other _huacas_ and oracles,
and their estates. He also inspected the buildings of the city of Cuzco
and the houses of the _orejones_.

Huayna Ccapac ordered the body of his father Tupac Inca to be embalmed.
After the sacrifices, the mourning, and other ceremonies, he placed the
body in the late Inca's residence which was prepared for it, and gave
his servants all that was necessary for their maintenance and services.
The same Huayna Ccapac mourned for his father and for his mother who
died nearly at the same time.

LVIII.

HUAYNA CCAPAC CONQUERS CHACHAPOYAS.

After Huayna Ccapac had given orders respecting the things mentioned in
the last chapter, it was reported to him that there were certain tribes
near the territory of the Chachapoyas which might be conquered, and that
on the way he might subdue the Chachapoyas who had rebelled. He gave
orders to his _orejones_ and assembled a large army. He set out from
Cuzco, having first offered sacrifices and observed the _calpa_[116]. On
the route he took, he reformed many things. Arriving at the land of the
Chachapoyas, they, with other neighbouring tribes, put themselves in a
posture of defence. They were eventually vanquished and treated with
great severity. The Inca then returned to Cuzco and triumphed at the
victory gained over the Chachapoyas and other nations.

[Note 116: _Calpa_ means force, power. _Calpay_ work. _Calparicu_
"one who gives strength," used for a wizard. The Calpa was a ceremony
connected with divination.]

While he was absent on this campaign, he left as Governor of Cuzco one
of his illegitimate brothers named Sinchi Rocca, an eminent architect.
He built all the edifices at Yucay, and the houses of the Inca at Casana
in the city of Cuzco. He afterwards built other edifices round Cuzco for
Huayna Ccapac, on sites which appeared most convenient.

LIX.

HUAYNA CCAPAC MAKES A VISITATION OF THE WHOLE EMPIRE FROM QUITO TO
CHILE.

Huayna Ccapac having rested in Cuzco for a long time and, wishing to
undertake something, considered that it was a long time since he had
visited the empire. He determined that there should be a visitation, and
named his uncle Huaman Achachi to conduct it in Chinchay-suyu as far as
Quito, he himself undertaking the region of Colla-suyu.

Each one set out, Huayna Ccapac, in person, taking the route to the
Collao, where he examined into the government of his _tucuricos_,
placing and dismissing governors and Curacas, opening lands and making
bridges and irrigating channels. Constructing these works he arrived at
Charcas and went thence to Chile, which his father had conquered, where
he dismissed the governor, and appointed two native Curacas named
Michimalongo and Antalongo, who had been vanquished by his father.
Having renewed the garrison, he came to Coquimbo and Copiapo, also
visiting Atacama and Arequipa. He next went to Anti-suyu and Alayda, by
way of Collao and Charcas. He entered the valley of Cochabamba, and
there made provinces of _mitimaes_ in all parts, because the natives
were few, and there was space for all, the land being fertile. Thence he
went to Pocona to give orders on that frontier against the Chirihuanas,
and to repair a fortress which had been built by his father.

While engaged on these measures, he received news that the provinces of
Quito, Cayambis, Carangues, Pastos, and Huancavilcas had rebelled. He,
therefore, hurried his return and came to Tiahuanacu, where he prepared
for war against the Quitos and Cayambis, and gave orders how the
Urus[117] were to live, granting them localities in which each tribe of
them was to fish in the lake. He visited the Temple of the Sun and the
_huaca_ of Ticci Viracocha on the island of Titicaca, and sent orders
that all those provinces should send troops to go to that war which he
had proclaimed.

[Note 117: The Urus are a tribe of fishermen, with a peculiar
language, living among the reed beds in the S.W. part of Lake Titicaca.]

LX.

HUAYNA CCAPAC MAKES WAR ON THE QUITOS, PASTOS, CARANGUES, CAYAMBIS,
HUANCAVILCAS.

Knowing that the Pastos, Quitos, Carangues, Cayambis and Huancavilcas
had rebelled, killed the _tucuricos_, and strengthened their positions
with strong forces, Huayna Ccapac, with great rapidity, collected a
great army from all the districts of the four _suyus_. He nominated
Michi of the Hurin-cuzcos, and Auqui Tupac of the Hanan-cuzcos as
captains, and left his uncle Huaman Achachi as governor of Cuzco. Others
say that he left Apu Hilaquito and Auqui Tupac Inca in Cuzco, with his
son who was to succeed named Tupac Cusi Hualpa Inti Illapa, and with him
another of his sons named Titu Atanchi, who remained to perform the
fasts before knighthood. It is to be noted that Huayna Ccapac was
married, in conformity with custom and with the prescribed ceremonies to
Cusi Rimay Coya, by whom he had no male child. He, therefore, took his
sister Araua Ocllo to wife, by whom he had a son Tupac Cusi Hualpa,
vulgarly called Huascar. Preparing for the campaign he ordered that
Atahualpa and Ninan Cuyoche, his illegitimate sons, now grown men,
should go with him. His other sons, also illegitimate, named Manco Inca
and Paulu Tupac, were to remain with Huascar.

These arrangements having been made, the Inca set out for Quito. On the
way he came to Tumipampa where he had himself been born. Here he erected
great edifices where he placed, with great solemnity, the caul in which
he was born. Marching onwards and reaching the boundary of the region
where the Quitos were in arms, he marshalled his squadrons, and
presently resolved to conquer the Pastos. For this service he selected
two captains of the Collao, one named Mollo Cavana, the other Mollo
Pucara, and two others of Cunti-suyu named Apu Cautar Canana and Cunti
Mollo, under whose command he placed many men of their nations, and 2000
_orejones_ as guards, under Auqui Tupac Inca, brother of Huayna Ccapac
and Acollo Tupac of the lineage of Viracocha. They marched to the
country of the Pastos who fell back on their chief place, leaving their
old people, women and children, with a few men, that the enemy might
think there was no one else. The Incas easily conquered these and,
thinking that was all, they gave themselves up to idleness and pleasure.
One night, when they were engaged in a great rejoicing, eating and
drinking freely, without sentries, the Pastos attacked them, and there
was a great slaughter, especially among the Collas. Those who escaped,
fled until they came to the main army of the Incas which was following
them. They say that Atahualpa and Ninan Cuyoche brought up assistance,
and that, with the confidence thus gained, Huayna Ccapac ordered the war
to be waged most cruelly. So they entered the country of the Pastos a
second time, burning and destroying the inhabited places and killing all
the people great and small, men and women, young and old. That province
having been subdued, a governor was appointed to it.

Huayna Ccapac then returned to Tumipampa, where he rested some days,
before moving his camp for the conquest of the Carangues, a very warlike
nation. In this campaign he subdued the Macas to the confines of the
Canaris, those of Quisna, of Ancamarca, the province of Puruvay, the
Indians of Nolitria, and other neighbouring nations.

Thence he went down to Tumbez, a seaport, and then came to the
fortresses of Carangui and Cochisque. In commencing to subdue those of
Cochisque he met with a stubborn resistance by valiant men, and many
were killed on both sides. At length the place was taken, and the men
who escaped were received in the fortress of Carangui. The Incas decided
that the country surrounding this fortress should first be subdued. They
desolated the country as far as Ancas-mayu and Otabalo, those who
escaped from the fury of the Incas taking refuge in the fortress. Huayna
Ccapac attacked it with his whole force, but was repulsed by the
garrison with much slaughter, and the _orejones_ were forced to fly,
defeated by the Cayambis, the Inca himself being thrown down. He would
have been killed if a thousand of his guard had not come up with their
captains Cusi Tupac Yupanqui and Huayna Achachi, to rescue and raise
him. The sight of this animated the _orejones_. All turned to defend
their Inca, and pressed on with such vigour that the Cayambis were
driven back into their fortress. The Inca army, in one encounter and the
other, suffered heavy loss.

Huayna Ccapac, on this account, returned to Tumipampa, where he
recruited his army, preparing to resume the attack on the Cayambis. At
this time some _orejones_ deserted the Inca, leaving him to go back to
Cuzco. Huayna Ccapac satisfied the rest by gifts of clothes, provisions,
and other things, and he formed an efficient army.

It was reported that the Cayambis had sallied from their fortress and
had defeated a detachment of the Inca army, killing many, and the rest
escaping by flight. This caused great sorrow to the Inca, who sent his
brother Auqui Toma, with an army composed of all nations, against the
Cayambis of the fortress. Auqui Toma went, attacked the fortress,
captured four lines of defence and the outer wall, which was composed of
five. But at the entrance the Cayambis killed Auqui Toma, captain of the
Cuzcos, who had fought most valorously. This attack and defence was so
obstinate and long continued that an immense number of men fell, and the
survivors had nowhere to fight except upon heaps of dead men. The desire
of both sides to conquer or die was so strong that they gave up their
lances and arrows and took to their fists. At last, when they saw that
their captain was killed, the Incas began to retreat towards a river,
into which they went without any care for saving their lives. The river
was in flood and a great number of men were drowned. This was a heavy
loss for the cause of Huayna Ccapac. Those who escaped from drowning and
from the hands of the enemy, sent the news to the Inca from the other
side of the river. Huayna Ccapac received the news of this reverse with
heavier grief than ever, for he dearly loved his brother Auqui Toma, who
had been killed with so many men who were the pick of the army.

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