Inca Civil War

The Inca Civil War, the Inca Dynastic War, or the Inca War of Succession, was a civil war in the Inca Empire. It was fought between two brothers, Huáscar and Atahualpa, sons of Huayna Cápac, over who would be the next emperor. The war came after Huayna Capac's death in 1527, and lasted from 1529 until 1532. When their father died, the empire was divided between the two brothers. Huáscar got most part of it, with the capital Cusco. Atahualpa got the northern parts, including Quito.

Inca Civil War
Emperor Atahualpa, the victorious brother, however, his reign as emperor was short.
Date 1529 to April 1532 Location Peru and Ecuador Result Northern victory Reunion of the Inca Empire under the rule of Atahualpa
Belligerents
Inca Empire Tumebamba Tumipampa	Northern Inca Empire
Commanders and leaders
Huascar # Atoc  † Hango  † Topa Atao # Ullco Colla  † Tito Atauchi Uampa Yupanqui Guanca Auqui Agua Panti Paca Yupanqui	Atahualpa Chalkuchimac Quisquis Rumiñahui Ucumari Tomay Rima   †
Strength
~400,000; 100,000 Cañaris, 2 000 000 reservist	Initially 50,000-100,000 At peak some 250,000
Casualties and losses
At least 100,000 killed Tumebamba destroyed	Unknown

Huáscar started the war because he saw himself as the rightful heir to the kingdom. Atahualpa proved to be a better war tactician than his brother, and commanded a much bigger army. The empire was reunited under Atahualpa in 1532, but he was executed by the Spanish less than a year later.

It was partly because of this civil war that the Spanish conquistadors, under Francisco Pizarro, were successful.

Inca Civil War Media

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  Inca Empire under the control of Atahualpa. It was almost coterminous with the former Chinchay Suyu province

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  Huáscar, who was defeated in the war between him and his brother

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  Oil painting by Juan Lepiani representing the capture of *Atahualpa in Cajamarca.

References

Notes

Sources

• Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc., 1970, 28-29.
• MacQuarrie, Kim. The Last Days of the Inca. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2007, 50.