Atahualpa was the "last of the Incas." He was the chief of the Indian nation of Peru, in South America, when the first white men arrived there more than four hundred years ago. Less than forty years after Columbus discovered America, the Spanish general Pizarro marched into Peru with his soldiers.
Atahualpa was the "last
of the Incas." He was the chief of the Indian nation of Peru, in
South America, when the first white men arrived there more than four
hundred years ago. Less than forty years after Columbus discovered
America, the Spanish general Pizarro marched into Peru with his
soldiers. They were received by the native Inca Indians in a most
friendly way. When Pizarro reached Cajamarca, a beautiful city where
Atahualpa had his palace, the Indians all gathered in a great square.
Atahualpa was asked to
accept Christianity as his religion, and King Charles of Spain as his
king. Atahualpa would do neither. Meanwhile Pizarro's soldiers had
hidden themselves in the buildings and streets around the square. At
a signal from Pizarro, the soldiers opened fire on Atahualpa and the
three or four thousand Incas in the square. The Indians, unarmed,
were slaughtered. Atahualpa was taken prisoner and held for a
hugeransom, a "roomful of gold and silver.'' He paid the ransom,
but Pizarro did not keep his promise and condemned Atahualpa to
death. He was strangled on August 29, 15 3 With Atahualpa died the
Peruvian Empire of the Incas.
