Atahualpa

Atahualpa, last of the Incas, was the favourite son of Huayna Capac, who died in 1525. The mother of Atahualpa not being of the pure Inca blood, her son was formally excluded from inheriting the throne; but on his death-bed the father assigned to Atahualpa the kingdom of Quito (recently conquered), while Huascar, his eldest son, obtained Peru. After some years, Huascar demanded homage for the kingdom of Quito, and war was declared between the brothers. In 1532 Huascar was completely defeated near Cuzco and taken prisoner. In the meantime, the Spaniards had disembarked; and after a perilous march through the unknown country, Pizarro, at the head of his two hundred cavaliers, approached the victorious camp of Atahualpa. By a daring but diabolical stratagem, Pizarro obtained possession of the person of the king, who had come by invitation to visit him in a friendly spirit. While a priest was explaining the Christian religion, at a sudden signal, the mysterious firearms poured death into the terrified masses of Peruvians, and the Spanish cavalry rode them down with merciless fury. Atahualpa, made a captive, agreed to pay an enormous ransom; but was accused of plotting against Pizarro, tried, and condemned to be burnt. On his agreeing to be 'baptised,' his sentence was commuted to death by strangulation (1533).