The Inca emperors ruled an enormous empire they called Tawantinsuyu or the Land of the Four Quarters with Cusco as its capital. The Incas conquered a vast territory using reciprocity or alliances. Once the Incas arrived in a new region they tried to establish a relationship with the tribe’s head. He offered gifts such as wool clothing, coca leaves and mullu (shell believed to be food for the Gods). If the gifts were accepted they also accepted the Inca’s authority. To consolidate this alliance they established family ties. If they did not accept the gifts they used force to subdue the tribe and since the Incas had a more powerful military force they always succeeded. The local leaders were executed to secure loyalty among the population.

 

Map of the Tawantinsuyu

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When the Inca won new territories they moved groups of leaders around to ensure loyalty. A trusted leader would be relocated to a newly conquered territory while those less loyal would be relocated where someone could keep an eye on them. In order to keep in touch with all the corners of the empire the Inca Empire had a network of messengers known as chasquis.

The Inca collected taxes from all its conquered territories, this tax was known as mita. Everyone was obliged to work and contribute to the mita for the good of the state.

Pachacuti and his son Topa Inca expanded the territory to the east of the Andes reaching the Bolivian Altiplano. His descendants, Inca Huayna Capac and his sons Huascar and Atahualpa extended the empire to the north of Ecuador and part of Colombia and to the south to Chile and parts of Argentina. To control such a large territory was a challenge for the Incas and to ease its management they established an administrative capital in Quito. After the death of the Inca ruler Huayna Capac, conflict arose between his two sons Huascar and Atahualpa over who would be left in charge. Civil war broke out between the two factions just when the Spanish arrived.

Government

The Incas had a federal government with the Sapa Inca at its head. The empire was divided in two large areas: Hanan and Urin, north and south respectively. Each one included two of the four provincial governments or suyus: Antisuyu (Northeast), Chichasuyu (Northwest), Contisuyu (Southwest) and Collasuyu (Southeast). These provincial governments were headed by noble men, close relatives of the Sapa Inca. They had a hierarchical government managed by a loyal bureaucracy. The royal council helped him rule and was made up mostly of royalty or close family members, high priests and generals were also part of the royal council.

The government was highly organized without the benefits of a writing system. In order to control the population of such a vast territory they created laws that were rigidly enforced. Inca laws came from their customs and traditions and were imposed to newly conquered territories. The laws were administered by appointed officials in each territory. To enforce the laws punishments were very harsh; crimes against the state were considered crimes against the Sapa Inca.

Punishment such as public scolding was administered for minor crimes and first time offenders, death by hanging, pushing down a cliff or stoning for second time offenders. Murder, stealing and laziness were serious offenses and were punishable by death.

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More about the Inca Civilization

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The Inca Empire and its origin

According to Inca tradition there are two myths explaining the origin of the Incas, the myth of Lake Titicaca and the myth of the Ayar brothers.

The Inca and its family

The Sapa Inca was polygamous and he usually married his sister who was his most important wife, she was known as the Coya.

Society in the Inca Empire

Society in the Andes was built around the ayllu. All its members had some kind of family ties, like an extended family. They all believed they were descendants of a common ancestor.

Inca religion – A religion of many Gods

Inca religion was a large melting pot of beliefs. Since the Sapa Inca was a god, religion and government were in many ways intertwined.

Cusco, the City of the Puma

The inner city of Cusco was laid out in the shape of a puma whose head was the fortress of Sacsahuaman. His body was shaped by the rivers Tulumayo and Huatanay and his tail was where both rivers meet in a place known as Pumaq Chupan.

Economy of the Inca Empire

Collective labor was the base for economic productivity and for the creation of social wealth in the Inca society.

Roads and Chasquis

Because the Inca Empire controlled such a vast territory they needed a way to communicate with all the corners of the empire. They set up a network of messengers known as Chasquis.

Inti Raymi, the celebration of the Sun

The Inti Raymi was prohibited by the Spanish during the conquest and colony claiming that it was a pagan ceremony and not in compliance with the Catholic religion.

The fall of the Inca Empire

A long civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa and disease brought by the Spaniards from Europe contributed to the rapid decline of the empire.

Travel Peru – Cusco

It is estimated that around 1.5 million tourists visit Cusco every year, Machu Picchu and the city of Cusco have become the main tourist attractions in Peru and one of the most visited in South America.

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