Praise Inti. Mapuche Argentina seems like an interesting concept, as the Mapuche were one of the more successful Native groups, being able to defeat both Conquistadors and rival Native groups until the late 19th century. The Kingdom of Patagonia and Arucania may instead appear as the Kingdom of Argentina and Pantagonia.
The Sons of Inti Shall Not Perish
- Thread starter King of the Uzbeks
- Start date
Chapter 3: A Long and Winding Road
The Andes Mountains proved a large asset to the Tawantinsuyu
The Tawantinsuyu Road system was, in 1532, arguably the best that the world had seen since Rome had fallen into chaos. It stretched from the northern mountains to the souther desert. Storehouses were set up and runners staggered to ensure the fasted possible communications. Rope bridges of dizzying hight helped keep the Empire together. With no written language messages were either oral or on Quipu[1]. Watchtowers dotted the highways and each community donated portions of food and time to give runners good rest. With no wheels for commercial use all travel was done by foot, or liter for the powerful of the Tawantinsuyu Empire. The only other thing that crossed the roads were long trains of Llamas carrying goods or being traded.
This road system was good moving moving Tawantinsuyu troops about with ease and rapid responses. However the roads made it easy for the Spanish to travel along the coast with greater ease then the invaders had expected. But it was different now that they headed inland.
The Chancay is hardly even a river, more of a stream, but it flows from the mighty Andes down into the Pacific. A small road ran up its course into the steep hills, going through the town of Chongoyape. From there it turned onto the treeless alpine tundra. Forts dotted the landscape on the way to Cajamarca and narrow passes were often threaded by the road.
It was into this type of desolate country, the land where the Tawantinsuyu had originated, that Francisco Pizarro and the Spanish marched starting on December 2nd, when they departed Saña for their "meeting" with Atahualpa, bearing the imprisoned Rumiñavi. In doing so they unknowingly surrendered themselves to the Inka's will. At Saña the Spanish had possessed the advantages of being well positioned to exploit their advantages (such as their position being well suited for a calvary attack), surprise, and their weapons and horses striking fear into the unprepared army[2]. However the desolate passes were a completely different game.
The road system had been built for three things, people walking, people running and llamas. So the roads were more then paths but were not designed with ease of transport in mind. A human is relatively versatile on steep roads with many switchbacks and the llamas were bred for mountain living.
Horses were not.
On the smallest Tawantinsuyu roads, of which the one following the Chancay Stream was, the steep and narrow route made riding the horses dangerous enough that most Spanish chose to lead the horses along rather then ride. Fighting on the horses was out of the question, the horses could simply not get the traction needed to charge effectively. And so immediately one of the major advantages of Pizarro was defeated by nature. The narrow roads also forced the Spanish to march single file up the road, keeping their effectiveness further limited.
The roads were bad enough, but off the roads even foot-soldiers were useless to Pizarro. The terrain was rough and they had no experience with such land. They didn't know the area or where the cliffs were. But the locals did, and the Tawantinsuyu did.
For all their claims about the "subhuman" natives across the Americas the Spanish faced a very real biological fact entering the Andes. The Tawantinsuyu had lived in the mountains for centuries. Simple facts of Unequal Inheritance[3] caused them to have stronger lungs to breath the thin Mountain air. The Spanish did not have this and many soon came down with weakness likely resulting from this.
In summation the road leading towards Cajamarca singlehandedly annulled the advantages the Spanish had for almost everything[4].
Tawantinsuyu Sling
Atahualpa did not know all of this at the time, he only had fragmented and panicked reports of their power. But he knew the land well and knew the Chancy road provided a good opportunity for an ambush and began to plan accordingly. He dispersed parts of his army, swelled with numbers from Rumiñavi's force, into the mountains. Watchtowers who spied the Spanish sent off runners like clock work. Locals the forcibly kept silent. At the end of the stream, where the road turns into the alpine tundra, Chalcuchima sat. Officially awaiting to escort the Spanish but in reality serving as a last line of defense. It is almost certain that some Spaniards expected an ambush, but most expected it to occur in the presence of the Emperor. Those who did fear an attack in the mountains still felt good about their odds.
The exact location of the Battle of Chancay Road is still unknown, as it was not near any specific town. But there are a few first hand accounts that serve as a guide and the date is recognized as December 9th. The ambush likely started with a massive army appearing on a high hillside into the view of the the Spanish. They did not realize the scale of the attack until the first volley of stones hit them. At the time the crossbows were few in number and the guns inaccurate and time consuming. This made the simple stone sling the most efficient projectile weapon in the Andes. A good Tawantinsuyu solider could strike with deadly accuracy with one. The stone volley killed a few Spanish but mostly sowed confusion amongst them. The Spaniards faced the problem of aiming up steep cliffs towards small targets with their bows and guns, a nearly impossible task. So they attempted to leave the road. Their horses became even more useless off road and the terrain was hard to traverse for inexperienced travelers. Soon Tawantinsuyu warriors were streaming out of the hills. The Spanish still had one crucial advantage however: Steel. Their swords were far, far better then anything then Tawantinsuyu possessed and the armor was effective against the clubs and bronze weapons. But the numbers were against the Spanish and the hills meant they were attacking the Tawantinsuyu up steep hills, and there was only a certain number of hits a Spanish man could take before an enemy solider got lucky. Stones continued to fly down on the the Spanish group, scattering attempts to organize as one hit to the face could kill a man.
All hope of a Spanish victory was lost when a small group of Tawantinsuyu freed the tied up Rumiñavi and brought him back to their lines. The Tawantinsuyu now had a general and a huge physiological victory over the Spanish. Soon the Spanish became bottled on the road, with enemy soldiers on both sides and quickly became surrounded. Pizarro was prepared to fight to the death, which he did, but after he bled out after a lucky cut from an axe the Spaniards fell apart. Those who kept fighting were isolated and killed while many others surrendered.
An unintentional side effect of the Tawantinsuyu's less advanced weapons was a relatively low casualty rate for the Spanish, some 84 men survived the massacre, and were to be brought before Atahualpa.
Some were determined to die for their faith and nation and would not yield to a "barbarian" king. But others lacked that conviction. And so the knowledge the Spaniards held began to leech into the New World.
+++
1: The Knot Things
2: And an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope
3: Evolution
4: IOTL Pizarro wrote "We were very lucky they did not set upon us" while passing the region.
Just started reading this, Im deeply interested
I like how you mentioned the fact that people who live near the mountains have stronger lungs than people near the coast, as someone whom is the latter, I can attest that walking in Cuzco or Cajamarca might be more tiredsome than Lima.
Chapter 2.10: In this sign, you shall trade
The Eastern Spice trade affected Portuguese policy in the Americas
The Portuguese had known about the Tawantinsuyu for a long time. Indeed, before Fransisco Pizzaro even departed for his last expedition Aleixo Garcia had mounted his own exploration up from the South, an ominous sign considering the events in the Rio de la Plata. Nothing had come of Garcia's efforts and they were largely forgotten. When word got out about the great empire in South America that had slaughtered hundreds of Spaniards, it was the Portuguese who had been the first to hear it, their sailors being amongst the most numerous in the various fleets of Europe. They were not, however, particularly interested. Portugal was, with the notable exception of their Brazilian holdings, a nation oriented towards the eastern spice trade. Besides the Tawantinsuyu firmly fell on the Spanish side of the line drawn by the Treaty of Tordesillas, making it theoretically illegal to interfere.
But the times were changing. The Treaty of Zaragoza in 1529 had theoretically created a line opposite the Tordesillas one marking their spheres of influence. The Spanish however had flouted this line as of late, interfering in the Philippines and elbowing into the Portuguese spice trade, calling into question the whole idea of the divided globe. The Portugese also found themselves in need of silver, lots of silver, in order to trade with the Ming Dynasty, and with the Spanish entering the fray, they found Mexican silver in short supply. The Tawantinsuyu were rumored to have vast reserves of silver that could pay for Portugal's purchases. The rise of Coca also intrigued the spice merchants, who wanted in on the lucrative trade. And so it was resolved in the halls of Lisbon that someone should be sent to seek out the mysterious Tawantinsuyu.
4 ships were dispatched, bearing weapons both for protection and trade as well as various goods such as Chinese porcelain and silk, beads, iron pots, kettles and a tiny bit of spices. Heading up this expidition was António Mota, a novice when it came to leading such a fleet. Mota, by the accident of a shipwreck, came to be one of the first Europeans to land in Japan, introducing them to guns and Christianity. He was a novice in terms of leading such a large expedition, and left much of the day to day affairs of his group to his captains. His qualifications lay in his perceived ability to negotiate with the natives upon his arrival in the Tawantinsuyu.
Mota, as portrayed by the Japanese.
His voyage got off go an inauspicious start. One ship was in terrible shape from the very beginning and inclement weather only accelerated its decay. It was forced to turn back while still crossing the Atlantic. The other three ships safely made the journey to Rio de Janeiro, where they got word of rumors of a powerful Spanish presence on the Rio de la Plata[1].
Skirting the edge of the Rio de la Plata basin and managing to avoid being seen, Mota plowed southward, towards the fabled Straits of Magellan. Mota, or more accurately his captains, had scoured records of Magellan's crossing, attempting to chart a safer course. They did not find one. Instead the three ship cautiously followed thr route Magellan had taken, pausing only to kidnap some local natives as guides, which did not help them at all. They emerged unharmed from the straits, but in his joy at escaping the passage Mota moved with far to much haste northward. His flotilla headed straight into the treacherous islands that dot the south western coast of South America.
There, one of his ships struck a submerged rock, and sunk. The sinking was slow, and the crew and goods aboard were safely evacuated, with the exception of 3 men and some silk. But it cramped the men in the other two ships, and caused the captains to take extreme caution as they continued north. The last portion of the voyage was done at a maddeningly slow pace in claustrophobic conditions. So it must have been a relief when they entered what they termed the Bay of Saint George for the patron saint of Portugal. In the bay they were met by balsa rafts bearing men from the Tawantinsuyu. Miming managed to indicate that they wanted Mota to stay put at sea until others arrived. Mota, desperate to get ashore, ignored this and went ashore, establishing a camp. Had the local Tawantinsuyu commander been more hotheaded, being accustomed to smashing the remaining Mapuche, that might have been enough to end the adventures of António Mota. But order was kept in the Tawantinsuyu camp, and runners were sent up to Quillota to alert Manco Yupanqui of the development. In the meantime a few speakers of very basic Spanish were scrounged up and sent to talk with Mota.
Inital reactions from the Portugese were mixed. Many, like Mota, had been to the East. They had seen the Ming and other states like it, powerful enough to stand against Europe wholesale. To them the Tawantinsuyu was disappointing, not living up to their expectation of a new China. It was this disappointment that led to the term "Lesser Cathay" being used for years when referring to the Tawantinsuyu in Europe. On the other hand, they found the Tawantinsuyu far more accommodating then the Chinese or Japanese were. The translators inquired, at the behest of Quillota no doubt, into the health of the King as well as the status of things in Europe. Mota was happy to oblige, seeing no harm in doing so.
As Mota's men took shifts ashore, causing a new burst of disease, Manco Yupanqui considered the situation. His first dilemma, before even deciding what to tell the newcomers about the situation, was where to accept them. Leaving them far to the south lengthened communication time, and risked alienating them. Yet, well aware of the dangers Europeans could pose, he hesitated. Access to Quillota was a precious commodity and bringing them north would hasten Spanish knowledge of their arrival. So he he invited Mota north, and the Portuguese obliged. They sailed to a port Mota termed the Baía das jangadas[2] for the numerous rafts that greeted him. He was told to stay there, and await the coming of the Apu.
Manco Yupanqui's personal banner was his brother's with an additional black snake added
Manco Yupanqui made his entrance a grand affair, marching in full force from Quillota to personally meet with the Portuguese. He spoke in broken Spanish by way of greeting, before switching to a Quechua to Spanish to Portuguese string of translators that was more effective, if still cumbersome. Manco Yupanqui immediately pressed the question of a joint offensive against Spain. Peace and caution had brought the Apu much, but in his heart he yearned to sweep the invader out before he died. Mota rejected the proposal out of hand, he was here to trade and remind the Spanish that they were not the only ones who could meddle abroad. He was certainly not here to start a war. Disappointed, Manco Yupanqui turned to the subject of trade. Mota was far mor accommodating on this front. The Apu took great interest in the goods Mota brought. The silk and porcelain were examined, but set aside. They would be purchased, Manco Yupanqui said, when more useful items had already been acquired.
Gunpowder was of the most interest, the stockpiles seized from Spaniards had quickly dissipated, and local made variations were inconsistent. Transporting powder was difficult, but Mota had made an effort based on rumors he had heard, and, crucially, he had no compunctions about revealing the methods used for creating gunpowder. Manco Yupanqui also wanted swords and steel, which Mota was happy to sell as well, although he was less well versed in the actual production of them. Mota had not even brought enough horses to sell any, which did assure Manco Yupanqui that no invasion was coming.
By way of payment, Mota of course received gold and silver, as was the custom. Manco Yupanqui had gone against the long held policy of all gold being controlled by Cusco, and so had the bullion to make his purchases. Mota also expressed interest in Coca, for which the south was not as ideal a growing site. However, being self respecting Tawantinsuyu, there was still plenty to be given. Manco Yupanqui immediately sent north for more.
Mota was satisfied enough with his haul to consider longer term trade. Manco Yupanqui was eager to encourage such trade. He offered generous terms to the Portugese in terms of trade, and hinted at more should they eventually come around to war with Spain. He also allowed them to establish a "factory" on the Baía das Jangadas. An idea stolen from the East Indian slice trade, the Portuguese were allowed to establish warehouses for goods and houses to live. But it was made clear that this settlement was a gift, and building even a stockade was forbidden. For the Portuguese this was an acceptable start to a trading relationship, and the proposal was accepted.
Balsa rafts ferried men back and forth between the ships and shore
In just over a month Mota had accomplished an amazing amount alongside Manco Yupanqui. He entertained dreams of heading further north, to where the Coca grew, but was dissuaded by Manco Yupanqui. The Apu explained that the "ill counsel" of the Spanish had poisoned the Sapa Inka against Portugal and led to a ban on foreigners in the north. This was accurate, although Manco Yupanqui failed to note this ban technically applied to the south. As it happened, Castro had sent orders to his men in Cusco to investigate reports of Portugal's arrival in the south. So there was indeed pressure coming for Mota to leave.
On May 23rd Mota, having selected his men for his factory, sailed south to return to Portugal. As they departed Manco Yupanqui gave coca leaf and a vicuña hair cloak as gifts for King Joao, a replication of his brothers gifts to Charles V. Mota's return would be less eventful then his arrival. He did not lose any ships, braving the southern autumn and returning to Rio de Janeiro with his treasure laden ships. He had proved that it was not just the Spanish who could reach the Tawantinsuyu.
The Portuguese left behind were subjected to a comedy of errors as Manco Yupanqui shunted then around his lands to keep them out of the sight of Castro's agents. They evaded capture, and were returned promptly to their factory, but Castro discerned the truth. And so Manco Yupanqui and Castro both prepared for a confrontation that would shake the balance of power in South America.
A confrontation neither of them would see.
*****
1: Enough Spanish ships have passed by for the settlers in Rio to know something is up down south.
2: near otl Valparaíso
twovultures
Donor
Ah, I was waiting for this-it's very exciting!
I wonder if the English or French will have a chance to establish a trading presence at the end of the 16th century. Not likely, but I think it is possible.
I wonder if the English or French will have a chance to establish a trading presence at the end of the 16th century. Not likely, but I think it is possible.
This was announced, and it's done most plausibly. So far, Portuguese interaction seems minimal, but you never knew how things would spiral out of control in 16th century colonialism. Great!
Interlude 2.2: Christmas Special
December 25, 1554
The Sun rose in the east, as it wont to do.
It was the Birthday of Christ. Yes, the true date was probably in March, but that did not matter. Today was the day the church recognized. Today the was the day of celebration. Today was Christmas.
To most in Asia this meant little, another day of the year. Men and women from the frozen wastes of the north, to the deserts of the far south rose and worked, lived, and died as they otherwise might have. A man in might-have-been Australia picks up a yam and considered it. It was a rather small yam, disappointing. A fleeting image passed in his mind of a larger yam, one that was inexplicably red. He shrugs and continues on digging. A minor functionary in China discovers that it is some barbarian holiday from some rowdy foreigners. He wishes them well and moves on quickly. Across the rest of the Middle Kingdom the state trundles unward, not caring what the Spaniards and Portuguese celebrate.
These Europeans find it a joyous day, a day outside the drudgery of a strange land far from home. A chance to escape the discipline of the captains and enjoy themselves. A handful of converts join them, a bit confused but happy to be a part of the celebrations.
The sun moved west.
Central Asia and India were much the same as the far east, a few local celebrations but nothing sweeping. In Goa the Inquisition noted those who did avoided the services in favor of Hindu rituals. The native Christians, who could trace their lineage to Saint Thomas, shifted uncomfortably.
The Muslim lands saw more celebrations. The Christians of the region could celebrate openly, so long as they paid the right taxes. In some places the Muslims joined the celebrations of the birth of the Prophet Isa, in some the Christians were met with cold glares. In Bethlehem a few brave souls paid respect to their God at a variety of sites claiming to the manger. Far to the north the Kremlin awoke. Ivan rose and began his day. The others scurried away, but the Czar was not at his worst today. The first printing presses in the east lay silent for the holiday, but the traditional orthodox still glanced warily at this western intrusion.
The west was more jubilant. All throughout Europe men and women rested from their labors. In Lithuania the nobles rested from their efforts to fight the encroachment of Russia and Poland. They ate, they drank, they were merry. For a brief moment, it all seemed alright. In Vienna young Archduke Maximilian took mass, then retreated into contemplation with his personal priest. His priest suspected of Protestant tendencies. Many a quill went into a flurry over that particular incident. In Leipzig a small family welcomed a newborn boy into the world but wondered if he could be fed without his mother.
The Lutherans of the empire celebrated the coming departure of Charles from the halls of power, while the Catholics wondered whether Maximillian was the real deal. In Rome a guard tossed coins to a beggar, enough for bread, enough to live. Clement VIII gave mass for the powers that were, and they too quietly toasted the impending departure of Charles. No more would the Emperor be inclined to interfere in their affairs. The French ambassador rose and gave a toast to the independence of the papacy. It was a very long, and very insistent toast.
In France proper the mood was jubilant. Charles was leaving for good, and it seemed as if Protestantism was on the upswing in the Empire. The King and Queen had three healthy sons, the House of Valois was secure. In La Rochelle a Hugenot congregation came to church, only to find their minister's tongue had been removed for heresy. They wept and wondered if Vice-Admrial Durand's plans were so bad after all. Across the channel the mood is awkward. The King is in one of his moods. Mary has seen fit to spend Christmas away from London, and even Elizabeth and Katherine are growing uncomfortable. He spends dinner lamenting about how all the savages in the new world have only heard the Catholic Gospel. Someone he says needs to teach them the true word of God. Then he expresses doubt about his arranged marriage to a French princess. She was afterall a Papist.
Not all men stopped their work to mark the Messiah's birth. On the shores of Africa Spaniards and Portuguese alike loaded their ships to the brim with slaves. Ripped from their homes the slaves were crammed together in hellish conditions. They were to be sent to their death in the new world.
By the time the sun rose over the Americas, it had set in the far east.
Christmas mass on the Pampas took place in the summer sun. Masses of converts participated, many for the first time. Armed Mapuche stood guard, although no trouble emerged. Cabeza de Vaca announced a great assembly of chiefs to be held in the coming year. Protests immediately emerged, and before the day was done some Christains were even writing a letter to the Pope. More traditional leaders, still following the old ways, made plans for protests of their own.
In the heart of the Amazon basin a boy caught a fish. His family cooked it and ate it, enjoying their time together No one there had ever heard of Jesus Christ. They had never seen a cross.
In Kito a boy King heard tales of the birth of Jesus. The Welsers and native leaders not see eye to eye on the manner of religion, In Tumbez Castro took the holiday in his professional way. He did not work, but he did not allow the revelry to distract him from the task at hand: the final subjugation of the Tawantinsuyu. In the streets a teenage girl died of the measles, without anyone but tbr dead to hear her cries. Just outside of town a group of particularly zealous Spaniards forced church attendance. Those that resisted were beaten. A family hid in a gully, desperate to keep their faith.
In Cusco Quisipe-Tupac drank. He drank and he drank and he drank. Despite being a pagan he had been given yuletide gifts, and he found European alcohol a fine way to escape the pain of seeing his own fall from power. Titu Cusi took note of it. He sent word to his father, and began to ask the paragons of Cusco what they truly thought about the last son of Atahualpa. To the west a mob arose, angry at public displays of a foreign faith. They decended upon a small village. A family hid in a gully, desperate to keep their faith.
Manco Yupanqui's day was like any other. He stockpiled men and arms, readying the south for the day when he would deliver the Tawantinsuyu from the enemy. There were no Christians in the south. Well, almost alone. Four Portuguese men left by Mota celebrated alone, in one of the loneliest Christmases in history.
In the Caribbean Spaniards toasted and cheered. Another year unchallenged as masters of the sea. In Brasil Salvador sang, and the Jesuits took the opportunity to baptize all the souls they could. In Mexico a boy was flogged for stealing corn. On the Yucatan the Spaniards held boisterous parties while their Mayan subjects looked on in confusion.
The final part of the sun's journey was mostly over open ocean. In Hawaii a women knawed at some old pork, wondering what the day would bring. Further east, the fading glory of the Tui Tonga held court.
The world had seen another Christmas. At different times, at different places. Some had not even known what it was, some did and did not celebrate. But it was altogether, a decent enough day as days go.
The Sun set in the west, as it is wont to do.
The Sun rose in the east, as it wont to do.
It was the Birthday of Christ. Yes, the true date was probably in March, but that did not matter. Today was the day the church recognized. Today the was the day of celebration. Today was Christmas.
To most in Asia this meant little, another day of the year. Men and women from the frozen wastes of the north, to the deserts of the far south rose and worked, lived, and died as they otherwise might have. A man in might-have-been Australia picks up a yam and considered it. It was a rather small yam, disappointing. A fleeting image passed in his mind of a larger yam, one that was inexplicably red. He shrugs and continues on digging. A minor functionary in China discovers that it is some barbarian holiday from some rowdy foreigners. He wishes them well and moves on quickly. Across the rest of the Middle Kingdom the state trundles unward, not caring what the Spaniards and Portuguese celebrate.
These Europeans find it a joyous day, a day outside the drudgery of a strange land far from home. A chance to escape the discipline of the captains and enjoy themselves. A handful of converts join them, a bit confused but happy to be a part of the celebrations.
The sun moved west.
Central Asia and India were much the same as the far east, a few local celebrations but nothing sweeping. In Goa the Inquisition noted those who did avoided the services in favor of Hindu rituals. The native Christians, who could trace their lineage to Saint Thomas, shifted uncomfortably.
The Muslim lands saw more celebrations. The Christians of the region could celebrate openly, so long as they paid the right taxes. In some places the Muslims joined the celebrations of the birth of the Prophet Isa, in some the Christians were met with cold glares. In Bethlehem a few brave souls paid respect to their God at a variety of sites claiming to the manger. Far to the north the Kremlin awoke. Ivan rose and began his day. The others scurried away, but the Czar was not at his worst today. The first printing presses in the east lay silent for the holiday, but the traditional orthodox still glanced warily at this western intrusion.
The west was more jubilant. All throughout Europe men and women rested from their labors. In Lithuania the nobles rested from their efforts to fight the encroachment of Russia and Poland. They ate, they drank, they were merry. For a brief moment, it all seemed alright. In Vienna young Archduke Maximilian took mass, then retreated into contemplation with his personal priest. His priest suspected of Protestant tendencies. Many a quill went into a flurry over that particular incident. In Leipzig a small family welcomed a newborn boy into the world but wondered if he could be fed without his mother.
The Lutherans of the empire celebrated the coming departure of Charles from the halls of power, while the Catholics wondered whether Maximillian was the real deal. In Rome a guard tossed coins to a beggar, enough for bread, enough to live. Clement VIII gave mass for the powers that were, and they too quietly toasted the impending departure of Charles. No more would the Emperor be inclined to interfere in their affairs. The French ambassador rose and gave a toast to the independence of the papacy. It was a very long, and very insistent toast.
In France proper the mood was jubilant. Charles was leaving for good, and it seemed as if Protestantism was on the upswing in the Empire. The King and Queen had three healthy sons, the House of Valois was secure. In La Rochelle a Hugenot congregation came to church, only to find their minister's tongue had been removed for heresy. They wept and wondered if Vice-Admrial Durand's plans were so bad after all. Across the channel the mood is awkward. The King is in one of his moods. Mary has seen fit to spend Christmas away from London, and even Elizabeth and Katherine are growing uncomfortable. He spends dinner lamenting about how all the savages in the new world have only heard the Catholic Gospel. Someone he says needs to teach them the true word of God. Then he expresses doubt about his arranged marriage to a French princess. She was afterall a Papist.
Not all men stopped their work to mark the Messiah's birth. On the shores of Africa Spaniards and Portuguese alike loaded their ships to the brim with slaves. Ripped from their homes the slaves were crammed together in hellish conditions. They were to be sent to their death in the new world.
By the time the sun rose over the Americas, it had set in the far east.
Christmas mass on the Pampas took place in the summer sun. Masses of converts participated, many for the first time. Armed Mapuche stood guard, although no trouble emerged. Cabeza de Vaca announced a great assembly of chiefs to be held in the coming year. Protests immediately emerged, and before the day was done some Christains were even writing a letter to the Pope. More traditional leaders, still following the old ways, made plans for protests of their own.
In the heart of the Amazon basin a boy caught a fish. His family cooked it and ate it, enjoying their time together No one there had ever heard of Jesus Christ. They had never seen a cross.
In Kito a boy King heard tales of the birth of Jesus. The Welsers and native leaders not see eye to eye on the manner of religion, In Tumbez Castro took the holiday in his professional way. He did not work, but he did not allow the revelry to distract him from the task at hand: the final subjugation of the Tawantinsuyu. In the streets a teenage girl died of the measles, without anyone but tbr dead to hear her cries. Just outside of town a group of particularly zealous Spaniards forced church attendance. Those that resisted were beaten. A family hid in a gully, desperate to keep their faith.
In Cusco Quisipe-Tupac drank. He drank and he drank and he drank. Despite being a pagan he had been given yuletide gifts, and he found European alcohol a fine way to escape the pain of seeing his own fall from power. Titu Cusi took note of it. He sent word to his father, and began to ask the paragons of Cusco what they truly thought about the last son of Atahualpa. To the west a mob arose, angry at public displays of a foreign faith. They decended upon a small village. A family hid in a gully, desperate to keep their faith.
Manco Yupanqui's day was like any other. He stockpiled men and arms, readying the south for the day when he would deliver the Tawantinsuyu from the enemy. There were no Christians in the south. Well, almost alone. Four Portuguese men left by Mota celebrated alone, in one of the loneliest Christmases in history.
In the Caribbean Spaniards toasted and cheered. Another year unchallenged as masters of the sea. In Brasil Salvador sang, and the Jesuits took the opportunity to baptize all the souls they could. In Mexico a boy was flogged for stealing corn. On the Yucatan the Spaniards held boisterous parties while their Mayan subjects looked on in confusion.
The final part of the sun's journey was mostly over open ocean. In Hawaii a women knawed at some old pork, wondering what the day would bring. Further east, the fading glory of the Tui Tonga held court.
The world had seen another Christmas. At different times, at different places. Some had not even known what it was, some did and did not celebrate. But it was altogether, a decent enough day as days go.
The Sun set in the west, as it is wont to do.
When I wrote I wanted a chapter of this on my wish list for Christmas, I had no clue Santa would actually deliver.
Are you sure you're not @Every Grass in Java ? Your writing style is profoundly beautiful.