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1536 - The rebellion continues The attack on Ollantaytambo  Meanwhile, in Cuzco, Hernando Pizarro determined to launch an attack on Manco himself. The Inca had moved his headquarters to the stronghold of Ollantaytambo, some 30 miles away from Cuzco. Hernando assembled most of the surviving conquistadors in Cuzco, some 100 men, 70 horses and a large contingent of native auxiliaries, and marched out of Cuzco.The Spaniards had to fight fiercely to even reach as far as the main fortress. "When we reached [Ollantaytambo] we found it so well fortified that it was a horrifying site". Manco had equipped the fortress with jungle archers from the nearby Amazon basin. The Spanish suffered terribly from these archers and from the large quantities of boulders that were continually hurled down the hillside at them. The natives also diverted the nearby Patacancha river to flood the plain, soon causing the cavalry to be wallowing in mud up to the horses waists. The Spaniards retreated rapidly, pursued aggressively by the emboldened natives. The siege of Cuzco continues By the end of 1536, the besieged Spanish forces in Cuzco were suffering greatly from the lack of food. "For the Indians had, with great foresight, set fire to any buildings that contained supplies or stores". The conquistadors were saved by the treachery of some of the native commanders, who defected to the Spanish side and revealed that nearby "Manco Inca's men had brought over a thousand head of cattle, maize and other provisions". Hernando sent out a raiding party of 70 horsemen who returned with over 2,000 llama and many other provisions besides. The siege had now reached a stalemate. The Spaniards had enough food to last many months but did not have enough men to break out of Cuzco and flee to their compatriots in Lima. The Indians did not have enough men to capture Cuzco and were waiting for the spring of 1537 to assemble yet further armies. The Spanish Empire sends reinforcements  Meanwhile, in Lima, Francisco Pizarro had
not been slow in asking for help. He wrote to the governors in
Panama and all the Spanish Indies asking for their help. "The Inca has the city of Cuzco besieged, and for five months I have heard nothing about the Spaniards in it. The country is so badly damaged that no native chiefs now serve us, and they have won many victories against us. It causes me such great sorrow that it is consuming my entire life".Reinforcements soon began arriving in numbers from all over the Indies. Alvarado journeyed from Chachapoyas with 50 men and 30 horses. Further reinforcements arrived from the coast of Ecuador and the Bay of San Matro. The great Hernán Cortés in Mexico sent "many weapons, shot, harnesses, trappings". The Governor of Panama, Licenciate Gaspar de Espinosa, sent men from Panama, Nombre de Dios and the Isthmus. The island of Española sent six ships containing 400 men and 300 horses. Even the Spanish King responded with support, sending 50 arquebusiers and 50 crossbowmen. Manco did not yet realise that his rebellion was ultimately hopeless. He was trying to expel an occupying force backed by the entire might of the Spanish Empire, a force possessing horses and far superior weaponry. However, the rebellious Indians were far from finished. |
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