The Greatest Inca Emperor Pachacútec

Inca Emperor Pachacútec

Pachacútec Inca Yupanqui: The Alexander the great of the American Continent

Pachacútec Inca Yupanqui, commonly called only Pachacútec or Pachacuteq; he was the ninth Inca ruler (1438-1471 CE). He was the one who re-founded the city of Cusco with the totemic form of a Puma, and expanded his empire; through 5 current South American countries. He was the one who converted his dynasty from a simple regional chiefdom to a great empire. There is no doubt that Pachacútec, was the greatest Inca emperor, he became as or more powerful than Alexander the Great; a person capable of building the greatest empire ever seen in the American continent.

Pachacútec, is a Quechua word that means inferentially; ” who changes the course of time and space.” An apt title, which Pachacútec attributed to himself.

It is believed and there is solid evidence, that Pachacútec was the one who started the construction of the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Rise to Power

Pachacútec was the son of the Inca Viracocha, and his original name was Cusi Yupanqui, whose meaning is “happy prince”. He was not heir to the throne, yet his accession to the throne, was on his own merit. Inca Wiracocha appointed his eldest son Inca Urco as his successor; However, around the 15th century, Cusco was besieged by its warrior neighbors, known as the “Chancas”. Both the ruling Inca and Inca Urco, showed weakness and inefficiency and fled to the sacred valley; while Cusi Yupanqui, along with a group of warriors, prepared to defend the city of Cusco. Pachacútec beat the Chancas and that is how Viracocha Inca, under pressure from the Inca nobility; he had to place the imperial tassel on Cusi Yupanqui and appoint him as the legitimate successor to the throne.

How the Greatest Inca Emperor, Built his Empire?

Pachacútec was the first ruler who had ambitions, to conquer territories far from Cusco; And that is the beginning of the growing empire, until the arrival of the Spanish in 1532. According to the chroniclers, it is known that Pachacútec for a year, faced rebellions carried out by his neighboring warriors the Ayarmacas; later, he spent the first 6 years of his rule, visiting all the towns already annexed to the Inca dynasty. Then, he began to carry out military campaigns to conquer the kingdoms located on the north coast and the Altiplano plateau of present-day Peru. In later years, already exceeding 50 years of age, Pachacútec; sent his heir and his military generals to continue annexing new kingdoms; while he was dedicated to creating reforms in the state apparatus, to guarantee his empire permanence for a long time.

There are hypotheses formulated by the researchers, based on chronicles, anthropological, linguistic and geographical evidence; that the Incas during the reign of Pachacútec and under the leadership of his son Tupac Inca Yupanqui, would have reached the Polynesian islands of Mangareva and Rapa Nui.

State Reforms Made by Pachacútec

  1. Started the expansion of the Inca empire, “the Tahuantinsuyo“.
  2. Created a tax that had to be paid in goods or labor, by all the conquered tribes.
  3. Take advantage of the available manpower to improve and extend the network of Inca roads; that connected each town and shrine with Cusco, its capital.
  4. Decree an annual wedding system, for all young people 25 years and up, so that they pay taxes.
  5. Built an immense network of food stores along the Inca Trail; to ensure the success of military campaigns.
  6. Built administrative centers to better control the annexed territories.
  7. Formed large groups of settlers, called Mitimaes; to efficiently and peacefully populate and annex the new territories.
  8. Made Quechua, the official language of the Empire; in order to annex the tribes, that had different tongues faster.
  9. Divided the empire into 4 parts: Chinchaysuyo, Collasuyo, Antisuyo, and Contisuyo; and called it the Tahuantinsuyo (the four regions of the sun).
  10. Decreed the Sun as the official god of the Inca state; and implanted the cult of the Sun, declaring himself his son.

The facts and works speak for themselves. There is no doubt, that the Alexander the Great of the American continent; he was the greatest Inca emperor that has ever existed.

Inca Pachacútec

Was Machu Picchu Built by the greatest Inca emperor?

Pachacútec was probably the Inca ruler, who built the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. This affirmation is corroborated by the documents of land tenure and possession, documented by the Spanish, in the 16th century. On the death of Pachacútec, Machu Picchu passed to be administered by the “Panaka” or royal family of the emperor; After the Spanish conquest, Machu Picchu passed into the hands of Hernando Pizarro, the brother of one of the conquerors of the Inca empire. Historically Machu Picchu has had a long list of inheritance, as well as buying and selling; So much so, that currently the Peruvian state, is on trial with people: who own property titles to the Inca citadel and claim to be the owners of this world wonder.

Death and Burial of the Greatest Inca Emperor Pachacútec

Pachacútec died in 1471 after Christ and, in accordance with his wishes, the Inca public was in mourning for a whole year. They then held a month-long celebration of his great leader, during which his personal items were displayed in all corners of the empire; A mock battle was staged in Cusco and around 2,000 llamas were slaughtered. A thousand more llamas were also sacrificed throughout the empire and children were sacrificed in all the places that Pachacútec had visited in his life.

At his death, Pachacútec was mummified and his sanctuary may have been located in “Patallacta, better known today as Q’enqo. Even after his death, his” Mallki or mummy” continued to be venerated, along with other past rulers; he regularly received outings to the outside world, where he was ritually fed and was even consulted on political and military decisions at times.

His son Tupac Inca Yupanqui assumed the position of emperor and continued with the imperial plans of his father; he eventually doubled the size of the empire. In 1572 the Spanish discovered the mummy of Pachacútec, which the Incas had secretly hidden after the conquest. This was sent to Lima by Juan Polo de Ondegardo and deposited in the San Andres hospital, where its trace was lost forever.

Tag
Share with