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1539 - The second rebellion The second rebellion  In the Vilcabamba valley, Manco Inca had not yet given up trying to expel the Spanish from Peru. He determined to organise a second rebellion, a testimony to his resilience and courage. Manco was able to gain the support of some local native tribes and the Inca army that had survived Quizo's attack on Lima. Using these forces, he launched raids on isolated Spanish settlers and travellers, exacting cruel reprisals on any he captured.The Spaniards sent out 250 horsemen to search for and capture the Inca. They tortured Indians until they were able to find the Inca's location, on a hilltop village called Oncoy, and then launched a surprise attack. The Indians responded valiantly and drove off the Spanish, killing 24 of them. A subsequent attack on nearby Spanish forces proved victorious for Manco and much treasure was recaptured and taken back to Vilcabamba. Manco had sent generals to foster rebellions further south and these began to achieve successes against the Spanish. But reprisals were swift and many native tribes joined forces with the Spanish to attack the Incas that they hated so much and had served for so long. The Spanish put entire villages to the sword, including women and children. They were also supported by Paullu, who had deftly switched allegiance from Almagro when it became apparent that the Pizarro forces were prevailing. The Spaniards invade the Vilcabamba valley  Manco
now decided to build a new stronghold in the Vilcabamba valley,
a place which the Spanish would have considerable difficulty
in finding and attacking. Thus began the creation of the city
of Vilcabamba, the mysterious lost city of the Incas, the final
capital of the Inca Empire. Numerous archeological sites are
today proposed as the location of Vilcabamba. (See The
Ruins section for further details).Hearing this news, Gonzalo Pizarro led an expedition of 300 men into the Vilcabamba valley to search for Manco. The Spaniards were forced to abandon their horses at an early stage and advance on foot, making them ideal targets for boulder-throwing natives and archers. In one skirmish at Chuquillusca, the natives succeeded in killing 36 Spaniards. Reinforcements arrived from Cuzco and the Spanish were successful in their advances, causing Manco to flee once again into the depths of Vilcabamba. At one point he was forced to swim across a river to escape the attackers, shouting back provocatively from the other side "I am Manco Inca! I am Manco Inca!" The end of the second rebellion Battle by battle, the Spaniards began to regain control over the Inca's second rebellion, not least because of the support of local tribes. They made particular efforts to capture Manco Inca and Villac Umu, who they rightly believed to be the cause for native unrest. "As long as there is a native leader [at large] the Indians' evil fancies can always take flight". They succeeded in capturing Villac Umu who, after accusing Francisco Pizarro of unnecessary cruelty in the death of Manco's wife Cura Ocllo, was burnt alive. This second rebellion was the Inca Empire's
last great effort on a national scale to repel the Spanish invaders.
It was conducted with great spirit, skill and bravery but was
ultimately unsuccessful. And yet, Manco Inca had survived and
though largely forgotten by the Spanish during the civil turmoil
of the next few years, had not forgotten or finished with them. |
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