 |
 |
 |
          |
 |
1544 - Murder in Vilcabamba After the murder of Francisco Pizarro in 1541, the younger Diego de Almagro and several of the assassins attempted to flee to Vilcabamba but were captured and imprisoned in Cuzco. Almagro was executed but seven of the assassins, led by Diego Méndez, managed to escape and flee to Vitcos in the Vilcabamba valley. Manco Inca welcomed the seven Spaniards as sworn enemies of the dreaded Pizarro's. He "ordered that they should have houses in which to live. He had them with him for many days and years, treating them very well and giving them all they needed. He... took his meals with them, and treated them as if they were his own brothers".  By 1544, after several years of Manco's protection and hospitality, the six fugitives were bored and restless in the humid jungles of Vilcabamba. The first Viceroy, Blasco Núñez Vela, had recently arrived in Peru and had exchanged encouraging letters with the fugitives, outlining the possibility of them emerging from Vilcabamba and being re-established in society. The Viceroy was still concerned with destroying the Inca stronghold in Vilcabamba and may have encouraged the Spaniards to treachery, promising better treatment if the Inca question was resolved.Diego and the Spaniards waited until Manco's troops were away on a raid near Cuzco. Then, whilst playing a game of horseshoe quoits, the Spaniards attacked the Inca from behind and stabbed him repeatedly. Manco's 9 year old son, Titu Cusi, witnessed the attack: "My father, feeling himself wounded, tried to make some defence, but he was alone and unarmed and there were seven of them with arms. He fell to the ground covered with wounds and they left him for dead..." Manco's attackers immediately fled but ran into the Inca's forces returning from Cuzco. The Spaniards were forced to retreat into a building which the Indians promptly set fire to. All the assassins were either burnt to death, or cruelly shot through with arrows when they attempted to flee from the building. Manco survived just three days after this treacherous attack, long enough to hear that his attackers had been captured and killed. He also appointed Sayri-Tupac, his eldest legitimate son, as heir and, since he was only 5 years old at the time, placed him under the regency of an Inca noble called Atoc-Sopa. Manco's murder left the natives without a strong leader during the next few turbulent years of rebellion in Peru. The Indians undoubtedly missed opportunities to regain some power and territory, either by force or negotiation with the new Viceroys. However, they were also fortunate that the Spanish distractions and internal strife prevented the conquistadors from taking full advantage of the their weaknesses. |
 |
||||
 |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
