Aztec vs Inca: Who would be more likely to successfully resist?

[Harald Sigurdson II]

IMO the Tawantinsuyu are underrated; without the civil war they are almost certain to win. The worst of the smallpox had passed, they had numerical and local and supply advantages vs the Spaniards, they readily attempted, and in the case of the horse succeeded, to adopt Western technology even before the invasion became outright, having some advantages themselves (roads and cotton armor) they never saw the Spaniards as gods, had a strong centralised government and economy, and weren't surrounded by strong enemies jumping at every oppurtunitty to tear them apart.

One the other hand, the Spaniards had already gained the gold of Mexico and the abilities to conquer (Pizarro was copying his cousin, essentially), and probably other reasons I don't know of.

 

[Beedok]

If the emperor hadn't sent his men unarmed to show of Pizarro's men would have been slaughtered. Spain probably would have be happy with Mexican gold for a while, giving them more time to prep.

 

[Tjakari]

Inca, no contest, no contest at all. The Inca were a state, unified and powerful; the Aztecs were regional strong men with wide-ranging tributaries that wanted to roast them alive given the chance.

The Aztecs were doomed from the start whether or not a chance to resist Europeans is presented, the Inca on the other hand were a fluke and a very unfortunate one at that.

The strength of the Inca was more than enough to stave off Europe.an domination at least in the outright sense that befell Mexico and the yucatan

 

[Qhapaq Inka]

I concur with what others have written above. Pizarro happened to arrive in the middle of a civil war and he and the other Spaniards deftly ended up playing one faction against the other. Had that not happened, and had Pizarro not gotten so many fortunate breaks (such as the success of the numerically-disadvantaged ambush at Cajamarca) Pizarro and his men would have been imprisoned or annihilated.

However, the Empire did face dissenting ethnicities who had been recently conquered, such as the Chimú. Tawantinsuyu's expansion had also been checked in the north by forest tribes such as the Shuar and Waorani (known to the Incas as "Awka" - "enemy"), and in the south by the Mapuches. So it's conceivable that the Spanish, after the disastrous end of Pizarro and his men, could bide their time in Colombia and eventually build up enough resources to begin stirring up insurrections among local ethnic groups against Inca rule. But the decades thereby gained by the Inca, time in which they could be trading with the Spanish and adopting much of their technology, means that an Inca Empire surviving into the 17th century and beyond becomes quite feasible.

 

[Anaxagoras]

Both had a chance to successfully resist, but the Incas had a much better chance than did the Aztecs. Not long ago, I read The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie (a very good book which I highly recommend, by the way), and was amazed at the sheer luck the Spanish had in their invasion. By rights, Pizarro and his men should have been slaughtered on several different occasions.

 

[packmanwiscy]

Not to mention that the Incas live in a very mountainous region, which makes it much harder for any army to conquer.

 

[Thesaurus Rex]

The Incas actually did continually resist throughout history, from the moment they were being conquered up to the same time the American Revolutionary War was taking place. If you really squint your eyes hard enough you could probably consider modern Peruvian revolutionary groups like MIR or especially MRTA as 'Inca resistance' as well.

 

[twovultures]

Accidentally voted Aztec, but Inca have a better chance due to geography.

Plus, if the Aztec successfully resisted conquest, that would pretty much butterfly away attempts at conquering the Inca.

 

[cra0422]

Easier for the Incas to hide in the mountains, the Aztecs had a bunch of subjugated neighboring tribes willing to side the Spanish, and it's a lot harder for diseases to spread in a mountainous region than in a crowded valley.

 

[Tripledot]

If the Incas find the silver deposits in Potosi, how would that work out for them? Would it be beneficial to the Incas, or could it potentially lead to instability that the Spanish might exploit to conquer them?

 

[Coyote Knight]

If the Incas find the silver deposits in Potosi, how would that work out for them? Would it be beneficial to the Incas, or could it potentially lead to instability that the Spanish might exploit to conquer them?

If the Spanish want wealth and goods and spices, then a few lucky breaks for the Inca will help ensure their survival and Spain would try to make them a partner/"protectorate" that deals exclusively with them and gives them silver on a regular basis.

Assuming a surviving Inca Empire, there are going to be a LOT of European powers vying for its friendship or "protection".

 

[TFSmith121]

Mountainous "local" state on a continent where

If the Spanish want wealth and goods and spices, then a few lucky breaks for the Inca will help ensure their survival and Spain would try to make them a partner/"protectorate" that deals exclusively with them and gives them silver on a regular basis. Assuming a surviving Inca Empire, there are going to be a LOT of European powers vying for its friendship or "protection".

Mountainous "local" state on a continent where various imperializing states are seeking to impose control after 1500...

Some possible examples of how to navigate that particular thicket (with varying levels of success) run the gamut; Switzerland, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Tibet all come to mind.

Best,

 

[othyrsyde]

I choose Tupi!

 

[TFSmith121]

And the Tupi, apparently, enjoyed French food...

I choose Tupi!

And the Tupi, apparently, enjoyed French food...

Best,

 

[Umbral]

The Inca Empire at the time of the conquistadors was really young. Young enough that there would have been people who remembered the days before empire when Columbus landed.

I like to think that in addition to the advantages people have pointed out, a culture that young retained more flexibility than older powers. Not being invested in doing things a certain way. That could have been a big advantage.

On the other hand, the Incas right to rule was based on his divinity. At some point, that's going to be a problem for the church.

 

[Escape Zeppelin]

The Inca Empire at the time of the conquistadors was really young. Young enough that there would have been people who remembered the days before empire when Columbus landed.

I think this might be one of the Inca's larger problems. The Spanish were able to raise thousands of native troops from conquered and resisting areas to oppose the Inca. Longer term, sending guns and technology to some of the Inca's more restive subject states could cause huge problems.

I like to think that in addition to the advantages people have pointed out, a culture that young retained more flexibility than older powers. Not being invested in doing things a certain way. That could have been a big advantage.

I'd agree with this. The invasion showed that the Inca were perfectly willing and able to adapt policies, tactics, and technologies to suit the changing times. The Inca were copying Spanish technology from day one. They had planned to force the Spanish to show them how to work horses and metal just before the fight kicked off.

On the other hand, the Incas right to rule was based on his divinity. At some point, that's going to be a problem for the church.

Probably not a huge problem really. They can deny his divinity but still accept his right to rule. Divine right to rule was accepted in Europe and history shows that even the Church was perfectly willing to work under semi-divine emperors as long as their work wasn't interfered with too much. Other than religion the Inca kings perfectly fit the profile of what a European king was supposed to be, a fact that caused some consternation.


Politically, militarily, and economically the Inca were centuries ahead of the Aztec and were roughly equal Spain if not actually greater. Their technology lagged behind Europe but even one of Cortez's lieutenants noted that their introduction to the Inca court wouldn't have stood out in any European nation and was obviously a rather routine affair for the Inca. I believe that it was pure luck that enabled the Spanish to defeat the Inca the way they did. Had anything been different the Inca would have survived for much longer. As others have pointed out, the Aztec had built a house of cards where all of their neighbors hated them and were basically waiting for a moment of weakness to rise up. I doubt the Aztec would have survived longterm even if the Spanish didn't arrive.