The Spanish conquest & colonization

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Francisco Pizarro and his journeys to South America

Francisco Pizarro was the Spanish conquistador who had conquered the Inca Empire and founded the city of Lima, today's capital of Peru. The city of Trujillo was also founded by him (to which he gave the name of his birthplace, another city with the same name located in Spain). Pizarro became the Governor of Peru for a while.

Francisco Pizarro was born in 1475 or 1476 (exact date unknown), in Trujillo, Spain and was the illegitimate son of Gonzalo Pizarro, an infantry colonel who served in Italy under Don Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba in the city of Navarra.

Little information has remained about Pizarro's early life, but it's certain that he was neglected by his parents and relatives and that he did not receive enough education. He was illiterate.

In 1492 the "New World" was discovered. Pizarro felt attracted by adventure, decided to take part in explorations, conquest missions. In 1509 he visited the "New World" for the first time.

In 1510 Pizarro went on an expedition to Urab, under Alonso de Ojeda. He was then selected to be in charge of a little settlement called San Sebastian.

Later Francisco Pizarro accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa in the discovery of the Pacific. He received a "repartimento" under Pedro Arias de Ávila and became a cattle farmer in today's Panama.

Hernán Cortés, conquistador of the mighty Maya Empire was actually Pizarro's cousin and invited him on various journeys.

In Panama, Pizarro met with priest Hernando de Luque and in 1522 with a soldier called Diego de Almagro (who as a baby was found abandoned on the stairs of a church). That same year, the three had decided to create a partnership for exploring the southern parts of the Americas. Which were then still unknown, unmapped, yet tales, myths about tremendous riches and gold especially circulated among the Spaniards.

Don de Luque, Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro had agreed to conquer and evenly split the territories as well as the treasures that they were to find. Seduced by the idea of the "El Dorado" myth about a legendary land of gold about which most Spanish sailors and army men were talking about, the three men for the southern Americas.

The "El Dorado" legend does not refer to Peru, but to a mythological Muisca Indian person who lived on the lands that are in today's Colombia and Venezuela. According to the legend, this "El Dorado" (or "Golden Man") brought an enormous amount of gold into a lake with him, where he vanished.

Pizarro and his men had come across the crater Lake Guatavita (Colombia) and draining the water from it by cutting a V-shaped into its perimeter/edge. They believed the gold was on the bottom. Unfortunately for them, the draining did not work. Even until recently, treasure hunters were exploring the place, but have come to the conclusion that "there's nothing there".

Pizarro, de Luque and Diego de Almagro left for Peru. The latter 2 contributed most for the trip. It is said that both de Luque and de Almagro have offered their whole fortunes. But Pizarro was poor, therefore he symbolically offered his sword. He was the leader, the military commander.

Francisco de Luque was responsible for communicating with the Spanish authorities. Diego de Almagro was responsible of the supplies.

De Luque had great influence on other Spanish military and the political personalities, therefore he had high importance and strong influence in the association of the three. It is speculated that in fact he was even more influential than Pizarro.

This expedition departed with 2 ships only and about 100 men in the year of 1524, but due to the leader's inexperience in navigation and little knowledge of the seas, the ships were unable to even reach the equator. They had to return. Only in 1526 had they reached the equator and only in 1527 had Pizarro, together with Almagro reach today's Peru.

Pizarro had started his trip with little experience and had to return back with his ship several times, due to storms and navigational problems. He often faced fierce resistance from his own men, similarly the way Christopher Columbus had. Perhaps in Pizarro's case it was worse, often he could only rely on a very small number of his crew.

Pizarro had to face many threats, dangerous situations, mostly from his fellow Spaniards. For instance, Panama's corrupt governor, Pedro de Los Rios once sent a ship full of armed men against him. Pizarro had his camp set on an island close to the Panamanian coast. On the island, when Pizarro's men sighted a ship, they jumped up in joy, thinking that help was coming to them, suddenly armed soldiers debarked and the true situation has unveiled in front of their very eyes...

Los Rios commanded his men to bring Pizarro to him "dead or alive". Despite this, the encounter between the 2 sides lacked physical conflict, but finally Pizarro has found out whom he can trust from his group and whom not.

Unfortunately for him, many of his men switched sides and went with the Panamanians. They wanted to end the exhausting experience they had during the travels with Pizarro. It was then when Francisco Pizarro took his sword out and drew a line in the sand. Then he told his men to join him and stand on his side of the line, but if they didn't want to, then should simply stand on the other side. Only 13 of is men stepped on his side of the line.

Pizarro's trips were adventurous and dangerous. Numerous times he had to return to Spain in order to convince the authorities about the importance of the "new land", Peru. He tried to persuade them to help him with equipment and manpower, however most of his struggles were in vain. Only when he brought treasures to Spain, did he attract enough attention and was offered more support.

On the image below, you can see the "Pizarro Going to Peru", scene by Constantino Brumidi, created sometime between 1878 and 1880. It can be found in the United States Capitol: 

The Spanish conquest of the Ina Empire

When Francisco Pizarro arrived to today's Peru in 1532, the Inca Empire was suffering of the first smallpox epidemic that had hit the region. The Inca emperor, Huayna Capac caught the disease and deceased. The death of the ruler  to a war between his two sons, Huascár and Atahualpa. Huascár was appointed the ruler of the empire by the by the court elite. But, Atahualpa had control over his father's professional army and was successful in conquering regions in Ecuador and Colombia.

Pizarro, at his arrival, was welcomed by Atahualpa, the 13th and last emperor of the Incas, who had just overcome his brother, Huascár in a war for the throne. Atahualpa, a cruel figure, had executed his brother along with his whole family.   

Atahualpa invited the Spaniards to a celebratory feast, thinking that they were not that much of a threat to the Incas. Pizarro tried to lure Atahualpa into his camp, but blackmailed him constantly, even ambushed him and killed thousands of his men. Finally, Atahualpa was captured and strangled by Pizarro's men.  

Francisco Pizarro's brothers, Hernando, Juan, Gonzalo later supported him in the colonization of Peru. Juan Pizarro, the smallest brother was killed near Cuzco, at the fort of Sacsayhuamán, in a fight with the Incas. He was fatally wounded in the battle at Sacsayhuamán and died the next day.

After what Pizarro crushed Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire, he founded the city of Lima, today's capital of Peru. Pizarro called Lima "Ciudád de los Reyes", in English, meaning, "City of the Kings".

The conquest of Peru was brutal, inhuman. Francisco Pizarro is an important figure in Spanish colonial history, but his desire to discover and conquer Peru was driven by sheer greed for riches, the hunt for Inca gold, while his associate, priest Francisco de Luque was often driven by Christian fanaticism to convert Incas to Catholic religion.

Pizarro's men were barbaric and merciless with the Inca population, their acts of terror and greed have led to the fall of the Inca civilization. Don de Luque's Christian ideology has also contributed to the intensification of the conflict, the Incas were regarded as "pagans", in other words, infidels to Christianity and therefore were often brutalized without being considered real persons.

The Incas were poorly armed, had no horses and no armour. Pizarro's men were armoured, had guns, swords and other man killing equipment. The conquistador army was small, but had experience from previous wars with stronger enemies than the Incas. The Spaniards have fought with other Europeans and the Moors as well. Another advantage were the horses, powerful never before seen creatures in the Inca lands.

The sight of "four-legged and armoured, gun-equipped" enemies must have been terrifying to the Incas, who were all foot soldiers, half-dressed, unarmoured, only with spears.

The terror among the Inca population was unimaginable. Priest Bartolomeo de Las Cassas refers to the events as the "inferno in Peru", when writing about the Spanish conquest.

Pizarro's and other conquistadores' actions spread horror across the Inca Empire, people were slaughtered by the armoured horsemen, without mercy. Many Inca buildings were demolished and often their stones were used in the construction of Christian churches. What the Incas have built in centuries, the Spaniards have demolished almost completely in just a few years.

The most well preserved Inca city today is Machu Picchu, never discovered by the Spanish invaders. It reflects the high degree of civilization and unique building techniques of the Incas. Pizarro's men never even got a glimpse of Machu Picchu, but they often went through the valleys, passes below..

Seeing Machu Picchu today, we can imagine how other Inca cities looked like before the massive destruction. Machu Picchu is just one of many wonders that the skilled Inca constructors have created.

Although Pizarro's violent acts cannot be compared with today's standards, he remains one of the most cruel historic persons (Taking into account acts like the brutal murder of the Inca ruler, Atahualpa, who was jailed by Pizarro and blackmailed to ask for treasures from his follower Incas, in order to be released. The treasure that Atahualpa has given as ransom in order to be released was placed in the room where he was kept prisoner. Atahualpa told Pizarro that he can ask for Incas to bring as much gold and silver that he can fill one room with gold and another 2 rooms with silver as high as he can reach with his hand. So it happened, 13.420 pounds of silver and 26.000 pounds of gold were brought, yet, the Inca was still murdered in a sadistic way: Atahualpa asked not to be burned, because in Inca mythology, if someone burns, his/her soul cannot reach heaven, Pizarro promised him that he won't be burned, then Atahualpa was suffocated, after that, his body was burned - with despise towards him and his beliefs).

After Atahualpa was killed, Pizarro named Huascár's brother, Manco Cápac II, as the ruler of the Inca Empire. Together with Manco Cápac II, Pizarro destroyed Atahualpa's remaining army.

Manco Cápac II was a Spanish "puppet ruler" of the Incas, he was allowed to rule Cuzco. Due to continuous Spanish persecutions, he started an unsuccessful revolt in Cuzco.

Pizarro's men usually tortured Incas to find out the places where they have hidden treasures. Initially, the Incas initially did not think of the Spaniards as of a threat, but as of some visitors and exposed themselves to the danger, often meeting with the conquistadores, walking into ambushes. Pizarro's men raided villages, cities, butchering unarmed Incas who could not even defend themselves. The military clashes between the Incas and the Spaniards were asymmetrical. The Inca soldiers were poorly armed, wearing few clothes, could only defend themselves with spears, they were murdered with ease, in most battles none or just a few Spaniards fell, on the other side, hundreds, often thousands of people were killed.

The battle at Vilcabamba, the last Inca fortress to be taken by the Spaniards was decisive in the conquest.   

Despite the resistance of the more numerous (but poorly armed) Incas, the Inca Empire was disassembled and split between Spanish forces. The Inca culture was modified and Hispanicized, the Incas were not allowed to practice their religion, were forced to become Catholics.

In 1541, Pizarro was assassinated by the followers of Pedro de Almagro. Diego de Almagro was killed too about a year later.

Before the arrival of the Spanish force, the Inca Empire was prosperous, rich. After the massacres and destruction, the region became poor. Today, Peru is among the poorest countries of the World, but perhaps tourism can bring a positive change.

Below, you can see an old French map of the Spanish colonization of the Americas... The territories stretch all the way up to Alaska...

The effects of the Spanish colonization of Peru

The conquistadores had a rough time in the former Tahuantinsuyo, where even after the crush of the Incas, many parts of the former empire rebelled against the Spaniards.

Pizarro tried using Inca puppet rulers to have influence on the population, to calm the revolt.

Naive Incas and other groups of people were manipulated by the Spaniards, attracted to join the "Inca Empire" (controlled by the Spaniards through puppet rulers: Túpac Huallpa, Manco Inca Yupanqui). Check our section about Inca leaders for a list of rulers of the empire.

The puppet rulers didn't have enough influence on the population. The killing of Atahualpa made the Incas angrier and nothing stopped them now from attacking the Spaniards (knowing that there is no prisoner in the hands of the Europeans).

Manco Inca was initially a Spanish-controlled ruler, but due to his suffering from the mistreatment by Juán Pizarro and Gonzalo Pizarro, he escaped and formed armies to revolt against the Spaniards. Later, Manco Inca (or Manco Cápac II or Manco Cápac II II) escaped to the Vilcabamba and founded a fortification, which is today called, "Last Stronghold of the Incas" or the Vilcabamba.

The Incas started hiding their valuables, there are even myths about a hidden Inca city and many stories about Inca gold hidden somewhere in the jungles of the Andes, still waiting to be discovered.

The Vilcabamba was strongly defended by the Incas gathered there, even Túpac Amaru, Manco Cápac II's son continued on fighting, until he was caught and killed by the Spaniards.

The Spaniards have fought for half a century until they finally managed to conquer the Incas in 1572 after Túpac Amaru's death.

After the fall of the Tahuantinsuyo and the crushing of many rebellions, the Spaniards managed to colonize the Inca lands.

Francisco Pizarro became Governor of Peru, but was killed in his early 70s by other Spaniards, so was Diego de Almagro, his trusted associate.

Many Spaniards have settled in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and other countries in the area where the Tahuantinsuyo once was. Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire and also received more attention from the Spaniards.

Many cities, towns have been built, Christian churches constructed, the European way of life was extended, even forced upon the locals.

Christianity made its way through force: today's Quechuans (believed to be the ancestors of the Incas) have been transformed into Roman-Catholics, many have lost their language, adopted Spanish.

Ancient Inca language still lives today in Quechuan language. Linguists say that an older version of this language was used by the ancient people who worshipped the Sun.

Peru's architecture is a mixture of Spanish and local Inca and pre-Inca architecture. The Chachapoyas, the Inca, Spaniards and others have all created beautiful wonders of construction. Peru has beautiful 5-century old Catholic churches, somewhat different from European Spanish churches. In comparison with the European churches, the old Peruvian ones are more rustically built with stone blocks, but many of them are heavily ornamented on the outside.

Lima and Cuzco have some of the oldest and most beautiful Spanish colonial churches, make sure you visit them while in Peru!

Peru is among the poor countries, has however, a high potential in tourism and is very rich in natural resources.