Battle of Cusco explained

Conflict:Battle of Cusco (1533)
Partof:the Spanish conquest of Peru
Date:shortly before November 15, 1533
Place:Cusco, present-day Peru
Result:Spanish victory
Combatant1: Spanish Empire
Spanish Conquistadores
Native allies
Combatant2:Inca Empire
Commander1:Hernando de Soto
Juan Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro
Commander2:Quizquiz
Strength1:
250-300, 60+ cavalry and 3 guns
Strength2:Unknown, but probably 10,000-100,000
Casualties1:Minimal, mainly Native allies
Casualties2:Thousands, army routed
Map Type:Peru#South America#America
Map Size:300px

The Battle of Cusco was fought in November 1533 between the Spanish Conquistadors and of the Incas.

The Battle

After executing the Inca Atahualpa on 26 July 1533, Francisco Pizarro marched his forces to Cusco, the capital of the Incan Empire. As the Spanish army approached Cusco, however, Pizarro sent his brother Juan Pizarro and Hernando de Soto ahead with forty men. The advance guard fought a pitched battle with Incan troops in front of the city, securing victory. The Incan army under the command of Quizquiz withdrew during the night.

The next day, 15 November 1533, Pizarro entered Cusco, accompanied by Manco Inca Yupanqui, a young Inca prince who had survived the massacre that Quizquiz had perpetrated against the nobility in Cusco. The Spanish plundered Cusco, where they found much gold and silver. Manco was crowned as Sapa Inca and helped Pizarro to drive Quizquiz back to the North.[1]

Two years later, Quizquiz was killed after being struck down by his own followers, leaving none to lead the Inca Empire since his only equal commander, Chalkuchimac, had been burned in captivity by the Spanish. Three years later Manco Inca Yupanqui fled from Cusco and tried to recapture the city with some 100,000 Incas, but ultimately failed after a ten-month siege.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pizarro executes last Inca emperor. 2022-02-09. HISTORY. en.