The death of Tupac Amaru (1572

The death of Tupac Amaru (1572

The death of Tupac Amaru (1572)

On September 24, 1572 the ruler Tupac Amaru is executed in the Plaza Mayor of Cuzco. After a summary trial that lasted 3 days the last ruler of the Kingdom of Vilcabamba was sentenced to death by approval of the Vicrey Francisco of Toledo. The Inca King was accused of ordering the killing of Spanish ambassadors despite the pacts or treaties that both kingdoms (Peru -Vilcabamba) had established during the government of his brother Titu Cusi Yupanqui.

There was a divided opinion among Europeans about the fate of the sovereign, his defense was made by the Franciscans, Jesuits and their Incas relatives, while the accuser, where the same vicar was, bowed in favor of his death. There was also a pressure from Canaries and Spanish captains who had fought the Incaic armies. It is said that the same fray Augustine of the Crown kneeled before the vicar so that he would spare the life of the Inca King.

"that gave Don Francisco de Toledo gave the sentence to the infant King Inga and died baptized Christianity at the age of fifteen." (Guaman Apple, 1615)

According to the version of the Jesuits and other orders the Inca King accepted the Christian faith before his death, stripping himself of "idolatries" and which was therefore baptized as "Felipe Tupac Amaru". The truth is that he was driven by an escort to the Plaza Mayor del Cuzco and placed by the soldiers on a hoe. The execution was not only attended by the Hispanic authorities, noble Indians and caciques, but also thousands of Indians of the common, who surrounded the Plaza Mayor and the same City of Cuzco, regretting seeing the fate of their sovereign.

"so many Yndios witnessed the death of their King and Lord that those who witnessed it say it could barely be pushed through the streets and squares. And since there was no place, the yolks climbed the walls and roofs of the houses. Even the large mountains that can be seen from the city were filled with yolks.” (F. Gonzales, 1582)

In the cemetery the Inca King was held by Spanish soldiers. According to Jesuit clerics, before his death, ruler Tupac Amaru spoke to the crowd persuading them to abandon paganism and embrace the Christian faith. Tupac Amaru remained calm until the end, near him was a priest of habit black attending him.

Upon completing the whole process the verdugo (Spanish alguacil or canary warrior) climbed the pedestrian with a white weapon (sword or pistol) and when the head of the Inca King was placed on an east block of a blow cut it, then the verdugo raised the decapitated head of the Incan to that all present saw it and then the church bells began to ring, finally the devil dropped his head into a basket.

"that at a sign of the ynga ceased the cries and fuss of the crowd and the plaza remained silent, proof of the ascendant exercised over his subjects and after urging them to abandon their idolatries and remain firm in faith, offered his neck to the verdugo, which "It was a canary yank, who cut off his head from a slug and showed it to the people he burped in deafening moans." (Antonio de Vega, 1600)

When the verdugo, an Indian Canary, took the knife that was going to be used to decapitate Túpac Amaru, a wonderful thing happened [... ] The Inca, having received the last rites from the priests who were with him, put his head in the place of decapitation like a lamb. The verdugo came forward and taking him by the hair cut off his head with a single blow and lifted him up for all to see him [... ] The execution caused great pain and tears in the eyes of everyone. The head was placed on a spear.” (Baltasar de Ocampo, 1610, Quote: Navarrete, 2008)

"So the verdugo, tying his eyes and lying on a stand, with a basil he cut his head and ended his days of the sad and poor guy, and ceased through the path of Manco Ynga the male generation and descendants. To Qespitito, his nephew, banished the viceroy don Francisco of Toledo to the City of Kings, where, as the temple is so warm and contrary to that of the Sierra, where the bun had been raised, his days shortly expired. (M. Murua, 1590)

" and cut the head of Inga Topa Amaro and made a confession in the hell that I understand was the thing of the most profit that could be offered to the conversion of these people as Your Lady see the idolatry they had with these dead Ingas and alive looks good because he did not suffer to have his head on the beak for more than two days because it was not enough punishment for the worship they did in it nor for cries and howls from twelve to fifteen thousand Indian caciques that were found in the square at the courtale “head and hear his confession against those of the plot of the city rebellion.”. (From Toledo, 1572)

References:

.- Beheadings and massacres: Andean and Mesoamerican representations of the Spanish conquest. Federico Navarrete (2008).

. - Explorers and pirates in South America: story of adventure, Ernesto Morales (2006).

. - History of Peru, Sir Clements Robert Markham (1894).

. - Unpublished history of the College of Cusco, Antonio De Vega (1600).

. - History of Andean America, Luis Guillermo Lumbreras (1999).

. - The Last Days of the Incas, Kim MacQuarrie (2016).

. - History of Peru viceroy (1551-1600), Ruben Vargas Ugarte (1949).