 |
 |
 |
          |
 |
1533 - Death of Atahualpa Expediency Diego de Almagro had recently arrived in Cajamarca with 153 men as reinforcements and Atahualpa finally began to realise that the conquistadors were not going home. The Spaniards were highly suspicious that the general Rumiñavi and his army might attempt a rescue of the Inca, so they put a chain around Atahualpa's neck. A moral debate about the Inca's fate now erupted amongst the Spanish: some believed that the ransom bargain should be honoured whilst many feared for their continued safety if Atahualpa was alive. Almagro's recent arrivals were not entitled to any share of the ransom payment and Atahualpa's death would ensure their share of any future treasure. Meanwhile, the royal treasurer informed Francisco Pizarro that if the ransom treasure was lost because he did not kill Atahualpa, then the remaining "royal fifth" would be collected from Pizarro's personal assets. Pizarro wavered between the two extremes: honour the ransom or execute the Inca. He praised a young Spaniard for dissuading him from harming the Inca but then reacted strongly when an Indian arrived with reports of a vast horde of troops under the general Rumiñavi advancing towards Cajamarca. Following an emergency meeting of the Spanish, it was decided that "Atahualpa must die since he had broken the peace...". Execution  Despite the legalistic nature of the Spaniards,
there was no trial - just a panic decision that was followed
through with immediate action. As night was falling on 26 July
1533, Atahualpa was "brought out of his prison and led
to the middle of the square... and tied to a stake..." "He
commended his sons to the Governor don Francisco Pizarro... with
great weeping, indicating their size with his hand..."Atahualpa was summarily garroted and, despite promises to the contrary from the Spanish, his body partly burned. The burning of his body and the subsequent ceremonial, hypocritical Christian burial were intended to prevent the Indians from mummifying and venerating the Inca's corpse in the traditional manner. A reconnaissance party sent out to search for Rumiñavi's rumored army now returned, bringing news that "they found no fighting man, nor any with arms but everyone was at peace..." Atahualpa had died on false charges, denied of a fair trial and executed in a squalid fashion. The King of Spain later conferred his official disapproval of the events by writing: "...we have been displeased by the death of Atahualpa, since he was a monarch, and particularly as it was done in the name of justice..." The Inca was buried to great lamentations from his people. His sisters and wives said "that the tomb must be made much larger: for it was the custom when the chief lord died for all who loved him to be buried alive with him". "When Atahualpa died, all the Indians gathered there in Cajamarca returned to their lands, and the roads were full of them as if they were rows of ants". |
 |
||||
 |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
