Pizarro and the Fall of Tawantinsuyu (1532-1533)

1. 1. San Miguel

   Today: Piura, Peru · Arrived 1 September 1532

   Francisco Pizarro and his men arrived at the site of San Miguel, establishing the first Spanish settlement in Peru after exploring the northern coast and landing at various points. This marked the beginning of Spanish colonial presence in the region.

   He then explored the Peruvian coast as far as the river of Santa. See the note in my translation of Cieza de Leon, p. 420. Pizarro took two Peruvians from Tumbez, who became interpreters, but very bad ones, as they spoke execrable Spanish and worse Quichua. One was named Filipillo by the Spaniards, the other Martinillo.

2. 2. Tumbez

   Today: Tumbes, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532

   Pizarro departed with his men and horses for the town of Tumbez, leaving some troops behind on the island of Santiago. This marked his landing and initial exploration of the Peruvian coast at Tumbez.

   The Governor then de- parted with as many Spaniards and horses as his three ships would hold, for the town of Tumbez,7 leaving behind some troops with a captain, for whom the ships were to return.8

3. 3. the Piura valley

   Today: Piura Valley, Piura, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532 · position reconstructed

   Pizarro and his men arrived in the Piura valley, where they established a settlement and received intelligence about the route to Cuzco and the presence of Atabaliba in Caxamalca.

   The Governor received intelligence that the way to Chincha and Cuzco passed through very populous districts, which were rich and fertile, and that there was an inhabited valley called Caxamalca,1 ten or twelve days' journey from his settlement, where Atabaliba2 resided, who was the

   Why is this position reconstructed?

4. 4. Motux

   Today: Motupe, Lambayeque, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

5. 5. Motux

   Today: Motupe, Lambayeque, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

6. 6. Guamamayo

   Today: Pacasmayo, La Libertad, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532

   The expedition passed the night at the village of Guamamayo, which was located in a ravine near the sea. Here, they crossed a swollen river with difficulty, aided by the local lord and his people, who helped carry baggage and provided food and porters.

   He passed the night at a village called Gua- mamayo,8 which is in a ravine near the sea. Near it they had to cross another river with great difficulty by swimming, for it was much swollen, and flowing rapidly. They have no bridges across these coast rivers, because they become very wide when they are swollen. The lord of this village and his people did good service in assisting to carry the baggage across, and they gave very good food to the Christians, and men to carry their loads.

7. 7. La Ramada

   Today: La Ramada, Jequetepeque Valley, Cajamarca, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1532 · position reconstructed

   Pizarro and his men reached La Ramada in the valley of the river Jequetepeque at the foot of the Andes, where they rested in houses surrounded by walls, following the ancient road to Cuzco.

   Hernando Pizarro calls this place La Ramada. It is in the valley of the river Jequetepeque, at the foot of the Andes.

8. 8. Caxas

   Today: Cajas, Piura, Peru · Arrived 1 November 1532

   Hernando de Soto, sent by the Governor, reached the village of Caxas after a difficult journey, pacified the local people, and secured their submission to Spanish authority.

   The village of Caxas is in a small valley surrounded by mountains. The people were in a commotion, but the Captain pacified them, and gave them to understand that he came, on the part of the Governor, to receive their submission as vassals of

9. 9. Huanca-pampa

   Today: Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru · Arrived 1 November 1532

   Hernando de Soto, acting as captain under Pizarro, reached the village of Huanca-pampa (modern Huamachuco) after following the road and pacifying the local people, receiving their submission to the Spanish governor.

   The village of Caxas is in a small valley surrounded by mountains. The people were in a commotion, but the Captain pacified them, and gave them to understand that he came, on the part of the Governor, to receive their submission as vassals of 6 Zaran, still in the Piura valley. T Huanca-pampa.

10. 10. Caxamalca

    Today: Cajamarca, Peru · Arrived 15 November 1532

    Francisco Pizarro and his forces arrived at the town of Caxamalca, where they saw Atabaliba's camp nearby and took up a position in the town, preparing for a meeting with the Inca ruler.

    On reaching the entrance to Caxamalca, they saw the camp of Atabaliba at a distance of a league, in the skirts of the mountains. The Governor arrived at this town of Caxa-I mulca on Friday, the 15th of November, 1532, at the hour of vespers. In the middle of the town there is a great open space,2 surrounded by walls and houses. The Governor occupied this position, and sent a messenger to Atabaliba, to announce his arrival, to arrange a meeting, and that he might show him where to lodge.

11. 11. Caxamalca

    Today: Cajamarca, Peru · Arrived 17 June 1533

    In the town of Caxamalca, the Spanish under Francisco Pizarro imprisoned Atahuallpa and collected the gold and silver he promised as his ransom, storing it in the room where he was held. The notary Pedro Sancho certified the distribution of this ransom on June 17, 1533.

    In the town of Caxamalca, of these kingdoms of New Cas- tille, on the 1 7th day of the month of June, in the year of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1533, the very magnifi- cent Lord and Commander Francisco Pizarro, Adelantado, Lieutenant, Captain-General, and Governor for his Majesty in the said kingdoms, in the presence of me, Pedro Sancho, Lieutenant of the General Secretary, on the part of the Lord Pedro Samano, declares : that, on the occasion of the imprisonment and defeat of the chief Atahuallpa and of his troops in this town, some gold was collected, and that after- wards the said chief promised to the Christian Spaniards that they should find a certain quantity of gold in his prison, which quantity should, he decla

12. 12. Pachacama

    Today: Pachacamac, Lima Region, Peru · Arrived 5 February 1533 · position reconstructed

    Hernando Pizarro and his men arrived at Pachacamac, where they were received by the local lord and principal men, lodged in large chambers, and demanded the gold of the temple (mosque).

    The Lord of Pachacama and the principal men came out to receive the Captain and the Christians, and showed a desire to be friends with the Spaniards. The Captain went to lodge, with his followers, in some large chambers in one part of the town.8 He said that he had come, by order of the Governor, for the gold of that mosque, and that they were to collect it and deliver it

13. 13. Xauxa

    Today: Jauja, Junín, Peru · Arrived 1 August 1533

    On reaching Xauxa, the Spaniards encountered the Inca Huascar being taken as a prisoner to his brother Atahuallpa. Huascar offered a large ransom if they would help him, but Atahuallpa ordered his murder.

    On reaching Xauxa they met the unfor- tunate Ynca Huascar, being brought as a prisoner to his brother Atahu- allpa. Huascar promised to give twice as much gold as it was possible for his brother to find, if they would return with him and persuade Pizarro to judge between him and his brother. The Spaniards had no interpreter ; but when the speech was reported to Atahuallpa, he sent orders for Huascar to be murdered on the road.

14. 14. Huanca-pampa

    Today: Huancayo, Mantaro Valley, Junín, Peru · Arrived 1 September 1533

    Hernando de Soto arrived at the village of Huanca-pampa in the Mantaro Valley, where he encountered a commotion among the people but pacified them and received their submission on behalf of the Spanish governor.

    Having put his men in order, the Captain followed the road until he reached the village, and at the entrance he found a royal building, where there were traces of armed men. The village of Caxas is in a small valley surrounded by mountains. The people were in a commotion, but the Captain pacified them, and gave them to understand that he came, on the part of the Governor, to receive their submission as vassals of

15. 15. Vilcas

    Today: Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, Peru · Arrived 1 October 1533

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

16. 16. Cuzco

    Today: Cusco, Peru · Arrived 1 November 1533 · position reconstructed

    Spanish conquistadors under Hernando Pizarro and others entered and took possession of the city of Cuzco, the Inca capital, in the name of the Spanish crown. They found the city large and rich, with buildings plated in gold, and began collecting treasures to send back to their leaders.

    He also gave an account of the road, DESCRIPTION OF CUZCO. 95 on which he said there were thirty principal towns, without counting Cuzco, and many other small villages. He said that Cuzco was as large as had been reported, and that it is situated on a hill side near a plain ; that the streets were very regularly arranged and paved, and that in the eight days that he had been there he had not been able to see everything. He saw a well-built house entirely plated with gold, quadrangular, and measuring three hundred and fifty paces from corner to corner. Of these gold plates they took down seven hundred, which together weighed 500 pesos.

17. 17. San Miguel

    Today: Piura, Peru · Arrived 1 December 1533

    After receiving permission from the Governor, some Spaniards who had participated in the conquest departed with their share of gold and silver, along with sheep and Indian porters, to return to the town of San Miguel. On the journey, they suffered losses of treasure and endured significant hardships.

    The Governor gave some sheep and Indians to the Spaniards who had obtained leave to go home, to carry their gold and silver and clothes to the town of San Miguel. On the road some of them lost gold and silver to the amount of more than 25,000 casiellanos, because the sheep ran away with the gold and silver, and some of the Indians also fled. On this journey they suffered much hunger and thirst, and many hardships from a want of people to carry their loads.

Published under CC BY-SA 4.0. Sources keep their own open licences. See the Magna Carta of the Seas for how this was verified.