Although The Main Object Of This History Is To Relate The Spanish
Discovery And Conquest Of Peru, It Seems Proper
To explain the
circumstances under which they found the affairs of that empire at their
arrival; by which we shall
Have occasion to admire the wisdom of
Providence, in permitting that enterprize to take place at a time when
that vast country was divided into two hostile parties, which greatly
facilitated the conquest. After Huana Capac had reduced many provinces to
submission, to the extent of five hundred leagues from Cuzco, he undertook
in person to make the conquest of the kingdom of Quito, which bounded with
his empire in the north-west. Having successfully accomplished that great
enterprise, finding the country exceedingly pleasant, he continued to
reside there for a long while, leaving at Cuzco several of his children,
both sons and daughters, among whom were his eldest son Huascar Inca,
Manco Inca, Paul Inca, and several others. While at Quito, he took to wife
the daughter of the former lord of that country, by whom he had a son
named Atahualpa or Atabalipa, of whom he was very fond, and whom he left
to be educated in Quito when he returned to Cuzco. After residing for some
years in Cuzco, he made a journey back to Quito, partly because he
delighted in that country which he had subdued, and partly from affection
for his son Atahualpa, whom he loved more than all the rest of his
children. He continued to reside in Quito all the rest of his life; and at
his death, he bequeathed the kingdom of Quito to Atahualpa[33], which had
belonged to his maternal ancestors. On his death, Atahualpa secured the
affection of the army, and got possession of all the treasure which his
father had in Quito, but the far greater proportion of the treasure
remained in Cuzco, as too heavy for transportation, and accordingly fell
to Huascar, the eldest son.
Atahualpa sent ambassadors to his eldest brother Huascar, informing him of
the death of their father, and assuring him of his loyalty and obedience;
yet requesting that he might be permitted to retain the command of the
kingdom of Quito, the conquest of his father; which he alleged was beyond
the limits of the Peruvian empire, and ought not therefore to follow the
ordinary rules of primogeniture, more especially as Atahualpa was the
legitimate heir of that country in right of his mother and grandfather.
Huascar sent back for answer, that if Atahualpa would come to Cuzco and
give up the army, he should receive lands and possessions sufficient to
enable him to live according to his rank; but that he would on no account
give up Quito, a frontier province of the empire, where of course he must
keep up a body of troops for the defence of the whole. Huascar added, that
if Atahualpa refused submission to these conditions, he would march in
person against him as a declared enemy. On receiving this message,
Atahualpa consulted two of his fathers principal officers, Quiz-quiz and
Cilicuchima, brave and experienced warriors, who advised him not to wait
the invasion of his brother, but to take the field without delay and march
against him; as the army which was under his orders was sufficient to
enable him to acquire the whole provinces of the empire, and would
increase on the march by means of the provinces which intervened between
Quito and Cusco. Atahualpa followed this advice and gradually made himself
master of the country through which he marched. Huascar, on hearing of the
hostile proceedings of his brother, sent some light-armed troops against
him. The commander of these troops advanced to the province of Tumibamba
about a hundred leagues from Quito; and learning that Atahualpa had taken
the field, he sent a courier to Cuzco with notice of the state of the
affairs, and to request that he might be furnished with two thousand
officers of experience; by means of whom he could arm thirty thousand men
of the warlike province called _Cagnares_ which remained in allegiance to
Huascar. These two thousand experienced warriors were immediately sent, by
whose means, and with assistance of the curacas of Tumibamba, Chaparras,
Paltas, and Cagnares[34], in that neighbourhood, Huascars general was
enabled to collect a formidable army. Atahualpa marched against this army,
with whom he fought a battle which lasted three days, in which he was at
last defeated and made prisoner, in attempting to escape by the bridge of
Tumibamba.
While the army of Huascar was celebrating their victory with great feasts
and rejoicings, Atahualpa contrived to escape from the _tambos_ or palace
of Tumibamba in which he was confined, by digging through a very thick
wall with a bar of copper, which he procured from a woman. He returned
immediately to Quito, where he collected the remains of his defeated army,
to whom he represented that his father had changed him into a serpent, by
which means he had been enabled to escape from his prison through a small
hole; and that his father had assured him of certain victory, if they
would return along with him against the enemy. His troops were so much
encouraged by this stratagem, that they followed him with great courage,
believing themselves invincible under the protection of Huana Capac. He
again attacked the army of Huascar, which in this second battle was
entirely defeated. Such numbers were slain on both sides in these two
battles, that even to this day large quantities of human bones remain in
the places where they were fought. In pursuit of his victory, Atahualpa
marched into the provinces which adhered to his brother, which he
destroyed with fire and sword. He entirely destroyed the great city of
Tumibamba, which stood on a plain watered by three great rivers. In his
pursuing his conquests, he gave no quarter wherever he met with resistance
but granted mercy and peace to all such districts as submitted quietly to
his authority, obliging all the warriors to join his army, which by these
means, increased continually as he advanced.
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