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Chapter 1.5: Further Occurences
Chapter 5: Further Occurences
A Stylized Representation of Alamagro's Arrival
As the new year dawned Rumiñavi grew impatient waiting for Diego de Almagro the leader of the reinforcements that Hernando Pizarro had promised. The tension was excruciating. He readied himself by attacking Tumbez with his army, aiming to dislodge the Spanish left there. The Spanish, with the defenses of the town and superior numbers, and knowledge, of their weaponry, were able to inflict heavy casualties on Rumiñavi's forces before they were swamped by sheer numbers of Tawantinsuyu soldiers who grew less afraid of the Spaniards every day. The Second Battle of Tumbez was largely a waste of time and men for Rumiñavi as it only provided the Empire meager gains from the relatively poorly equipped garrison. It did however deny Almagro a friendly city to rest his forces in when they came.
Almagro had followed Pizarro's example and wandered around the north a bit before turning south towards Tumbez. Their march south was blocked on April 7 1533 when the forefront of Rumiñavi's army blocked the road to Tumbez. They, having no knowledge of what had transpired at Saña or the Chancay Road, demanded passage to meet "Francisco". Rumiñavi in turn invited them to meet with him at his camp. Having no word from Pizarro Almargo was cautious and uneager to march into the Tawantinsuyu army. But he saw no other way. He expected his weapons to awe the natives into submission.
Instead of a reception fit for a king he got attacked. As soon as his men entered into the camp and dismounted they were set upon in tight quarters by Tawantinsuyu bearing swords, shocking the Spaniards. The seizure had a massive stroke of good luck when Almagro was seized first, decapitating the Spanish leadership. After their capture the Tawantinsuyu marched on the Spanish encampment to complete the ambush. Rumiñavi himself, carefully balanced on a docile horse, rode with his force, with a steel helmet on his head. Such a sight, a native with Spanish things, caused fright in the ranks. Such terror was only increased when a select few Tawantinsuyu warriors drew swords on the Spanish. The Spanish at the Third Battle of Tumbez[1] were able to kill a few Tawantinsuyu but were overwhelmed quickly all the same.
Rumiñavi Triumphant
This left all of the Spanish in the Tawantinsuyu Empire in captivity. Atahualpa could now focus on internal affairs, at least for now.
Word was sent far and wide to inform all Tawantinsuyu soldiers that the Spanish were enemies of the Empire and to be destroyed. The highly centralized state quickened the diffusion of crossbows into the army, as well as other skills. Campaigns into the jungle brought back knowledge of longbow crafting techniques, long ignored by the Empire, and brought them into the lime light.
However smallpox and other new and deadly European diseases continued the wipe huge swaths of the empire clean of people no one was safe. From the peasants who supplied the food to highest levels of nobility deaths occurred at a frightening pace. While the Tawantinsuyu's well managed communal storehouse system would prevent full on famine across the Empire certain areas would face shortages of food which heightened discontent I'm certain area. With instability from the unexpected succession and the plagues rising many local rulers jockeyed for power. Some tried to find favor in the Inka and gain stature while others, mainly supporters of Huascar before his death, grumbled and plotted for their own power. Some of these favored the Spanish and earned the nickname "los canallas", the scoundrels. But they remained divided and the Spanish imprisoned.
Further interrogation of the Spanish revealed bit by bit more information about the new technology to the Inka and his inner circle. It became apparent the mountains lacked certain resources needed to make them in large quantities. The jungle, long avoided by the Tawantinsuyu held resources that would be useful. A swing to the south in terms of focus would strengthen Atahualpa's ties with Cusco. Such a move would not be favored by the Quitian's who made up the Inka's power base but they would remain loyal to their leader.
Atahualpa tried to appeal to the Cusco Nobles
Atahualpa proved able enough at appealing to the traditional elites, maintaining the royal family's godhood and and appealing to other nobles by rewarding the most loyal with lavish rewards. The decimation of the ruling class by plagues forced the more rapid assimilation of conquered leaders into the empire's leadership. But, in fear of a revolt, he kept the Cusco elites higher up on the ladder. This created, for a brief period of time, a quasi-feudal structure in the Tawantinsuyu Empire with the royal family at the top, followed by the Cusco nobles and the Quitian elites brought in by Atahualpa before dropping down to the local leaders. But the social changes were still in great flux.
The Technological advances by the military bore fruits for the first time in the months following Almagro's capture. Tawantinsuyu troops under Rumiñavi decisively defeated several northern tribes using crossbows and a few guns. With this show of force Atahualpa attempted, and for the most part succeeded, to make peace in the north. His focus could be sent east for the jungle and its resources for crossbows and guns, while the search for iron ore and gunpowder ingredients became a military endeavor. Rumiñavi was placed in charge of fortifying the coast against further incursions by the Spanish. Chalcuchima began campaigns into the eastern jungles aiming to subjugate the tribes there, the general would later die of disease there[2]. The northernmost frontier against fellow natives was given to Ucumari, a loyal follower of Atahualpa. This left Quisquis in charge of Cusco along with Atahualpa himself.
The presence of a large army in Cusco was justified as defense, and that was almost certainly the case. But the largely foreign make up of Atahualpa's army caused resentment, both from local rulers and the common populace. They despised the foreign occupation force and wanted a return of the Sapa Inka's power to Cusco after years of campaigning by the Inka in the north. Atahualpa, a northerner through and through, was an anti-thesis to them. His rule, despite having defeated the Spanish, seemed weak after a questionable succession and an epidemic. His enemies spread rumors about how the Spanish were pitiful fighters and his defeating a few hundred was hardly an accomplishment. They held that the Spanish were a distraction from the true foreign conquest, that of the Quitians.
What exactly Atahualpa's enemies wanted to do with the Spanish is unclear and likely varied. Some might have wanted to abandon the foreign technology they brought and use traditional weapons while others might have considered giving them the North to spare them the trouble of fighting there.
Similarly their intentions after a hypothetical power shift were fractured. Some might have wanted a new Inka while others might have balked at removing a "living god" from power. Those opponents likely wanted to turn Atahualpa into a figure head.
These forces would have been scattered had they not been united by a powerful backer, one of the only three notable sons of Huayna Capac who had survived the plagues. He brought them together, organized them as best he could and used his position as a royal to smuggle new weapons to the potential rebels around the Cusco area.
In mid-October 1533 the rebellion began, centered around the royal retreat at Machu Picchu
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1: At this point the Tawantinsuyu are very confused about the Spanish obsession with Tumbez.
2: Oddly enough it appears not to have been a European disease.
A Stylized Representation of Alamagro's Arrival
As the new year dawned Rumiñavi grew impatient waiting for Diego de Almagro the leader of the reinforcements that Hernando Pizarro had promised. The tension was excruciating. He readied himself by attacking Tumbez with his army, aiming to dislodge the Spanish left there. The Spanish, with the defenses of the town and superior numbers, and knowledge, of their weaponry, were able to inflict heavy casualties on Rumiñavi's forces before they were swamped by sheer numbers of Tawantinsuyu soldiers who grew less afraid of the Spaniards every day. The Second Battle of Tumbez was largely a waste of time and men for Rumiñavi as it only provided the Empire meager gains from the relatively poorly equipped garrison. It did however deny Almagro a friendly city to rest his forces in when they came.
Almagro had followed Pizarro's example and wandered around the north a bit before turning south towards Tumbez. Their march south was blocked on April 7 1533 when the forefront of Rumiñavi's army blocked the road to Tumbez. They, having no knowledge of what had transpired at Saña or the Chancay Road, demanded passage to meet "Francisco". Rumiñavi in turn invited them to meet with him at his camp. Having no word from Pizarro Almargo was cautious and uneager to march into the Tawantinsuyu army. But he saw no other way. He expected his weapons to awe the natives into submission.
Instead of a reception fit for a king he got attacked. As soon as his men entered into the camp and dismounted they were set upon in tight quarters by Tawantinsuyu bearing swords, shocking the Spaniards. The seizure had a massive stroke of good luck when Almagro was seized first, decapitating the Spanish leadership. After their capture the Tawantinsuyu marched on the Spanish encampment to complete the ambush. Rumiñavi himself, carefully balanced on a docile horse, rode with his force, with a steel helmet on his head. Such a sight, a native with Spanish things, caused fright in the ranks. Such terror was only increased when a select few Tawantinsuyu warriors drew swords on the Spanish. The Spanish at the Third Battle of Tumbez[1] were able to kill a few Tawantinsuyu but were overwhelmed quickly all the same.
Rumiñavi Triumphant
This left all of the Spanish in the Tawantinsuyu Empire in captivity. Atahualpa could now focus on internal affairs, at least for now.
Word was sent far and wide to inform all Tawantinsuyu soldiers that the Spanish were enemies of the Empire and to be destroyed. The highly centralized state quickened the diffusion of crossbows into the army, as well as other skills. Campaigns into the jungle brought back knowledge of longbow crafting techniques, long ignored by the Empire, and brought them into the lime light.
However smallpox and other new and deadly European diseases continued the wipe huge swaths of the empire clean of people no one was safe. From the peasants who supplied the food to highest levels of nobility deaths occurred at a frightening pace. While the Tawantinsuyu's well managed communal storehouse system would prevent full on famine across the Empire certain areas would face shortages of food which heightened discontent I'm certain area. With instability from the unexpected succession and the plagues rising many local rulers jockeyed for power. Some tried to find favor in the Inka and gain stature while others, mainly supporters of Huascar before his death, grumbled and plotted for their own power. Some of these favored the Spanish and earned the nickname "los canallas", the scoundrels. But they remained divided and the Spanish imprisoned.
Further interrogation of the Spanish revealed bit by bit more information about the new technology to the Inka and his inner circle. It became apparent the mountains lacked certain resources needed to make them in large quantities. The jungle, long avoided by the Tawantinsuyu held resources that would be useful. A swing to the south in terms of focus would strengthen Atahualpa's ties with Cusco. Such a move would not be favored by the Quitian's who made up the Inka's power base but they would remain loyal to their leader.
Atahualpa tried to appeal to the Cusco Nobles
Atahualpa proved able enough at appealing to the traditional elites, maintaining the royal family's godhood and and appealing to other nobles by rewarding the most loyal with lavish rewards. The decimation of the ruling class by plagues forced the more rapid assimilation of conquered leaders into the empire's leadership. But, in fear of a revolt, he kept the Cusco elites higher up on the ladder. This created, for a brief period of time, a quasi-feudal structure in the Tawantinsuyu Empire with the royal family at the top, followed by the Cusco nobles and the Quitian elites brought in by Atahualpa before dropping down to the local leaders. But the social changes were still in great flux.
The Technological advances by the military bore fruits for the first time in the months following Almagro's capture. Tawantinsuyu troops under Rumiñavi decisively defeated several northern tribes using crossbows and a few guns. With this show of force Atahualpa attempted, and for the most part succeeded, to make peace in the north. His focus could be sent east for the jungle and its resources for crossbows and guns, while the search for iron ore and gunpowder ingredients became a military endeavor. Rumiñavi was placed in charge of fortifying the coast against further incursions by the Spanish. Chalcuchima began campaigns into the eastern jungles aiming to subjugate the tribes there, the general would later die of disease there[2]. The northernmost frontier against fellow natives was given to Ucumari, a loyal follower of Atahualpa. This left Quisquis in charge of Cusco along with Atahualpa himself.
The presence of a large army in Cusco was justified as defense, and that was almost certainly the case. But the largely foreign make up of Atahualpa's army caused resentment, both from local rulers and the common populace. They despised the foreign occupation force and wanted a return of the Sapa Inka's power to Cusco after years of campaigning by the Inka in the north. Atahualpa, a northerner through and through, was an anti-thesis to them. His rule, despite having defeated the Spanish, seemed weak after a questionable succession and an epidemic. His enemies spread rumors about how the Spanish were pitiful fighters and his defeating a few hundred was hardly an accomplishment. They held that the Spanish were a distraction from the true foreign conquest, that of the Quitians.
What exactly Atahualpa's enemies wanted to do with the Spanish is unclear and likely varied. Some might have wanted to abandon the foreign technology they brought and use traditional weapons while others might have considered giving them the North to spare them the trouble of fighting there.
Similarly their intentions after a hypothetical power shift were fractured. Some might have wanted a new Inka while others might have balked at removing a "living god" from power. Those opponents likely wanted to turn Atahualpa into a figure head.
These forces would have been scattered had they not been united by a powerful backer, one of the only three notable sons of Huayna Capac who had survived the plagues. He brought them together, organized them as best he could and used his position as a royal to smuggle new weapons to the potential rebels around the Cusco area.
In mid-October 1533 the rebellion began, centered around the royal retreat at Machu Picchu
+++
1: At this point the Tawantinsuyu are very confused about the Spanish obsession with Tumbez.
2: Oddly enough it appears not to have been a European disease.
- King of the Uzbeks
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