The Rest Is History

646. The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)

February 23, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Emperor Atahualpa, held captive by Francisco Pizarro in Cajamarca, offered an unprecedented ransom—filling a room with gold and twice that with silver—believing this would secure his release and allow him to continue managing the aftermath of the Inca civil war. 
  • Atahualpa's continued attempts to manage the empire from captivity, including ordering the execution of his brother Huascar and directing the flow of tribute, demonstrated the absolute, centralized authority of the Sapa Inca, which the Spanish exploited. 
  • The arrival of Diego de Almagro and his reinforcements intensified the Spanish anxiety regarding Atahualpa's potential for escape or organized resistance, leading to internal conflict among the conquistadors over whether to honor the promise of his life or execute him. 
  • Francisco Pizarro faced significant internal pressure and legal anxiety regarding the execution of the Inca Emperor Atahualpa, fearing the wrath of Charles V, similar to Cortés's situation with Montezuma. 
  • The decision to execute Atahualpa was driven by the paranoia and self-interest of the newer contingent of conquistadors, who feared resistance and prioritized marching to Cusco for gold, overriding Pizarro's initial reluctance and the arguments for keeping Atahualpa as a useful hostage. 
  • Despite the execution being framed as a trial for charges including idolatry, heresy, and treason, the event was widely condemned by Spanish chroniclers and Charles V himself as an infamous and evil disservice to the Crown and God, suggesting Pizarro's political position became precarious immediately after Atahualpa's death. 

Segments

Atahualpa’s Ransom Offer
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(00:03:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa commanded his people to deliver gold from all palaces and temples to fill the room as high as he could reach to secure his freedom from Pizarro.
  • Summary: Atahualpa demanded gold from Kito, Cusco, Coricancha, and other regions to fill the designated room eight feet high within two months. The Spanish agreed to release him if the ransom was met, allowing him to return to his northern heartland of Quito. This offer stemmed from Atahualpa’s misinterpretation of the Spanish as mere brigands rather than an existential invasion force.
Recap of Cajamarca Capture
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(00:05:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The Spanish captured Atahualpa in Cajamarca in November 1533 after a confrontation with Friar Vicente de Valverde, killing his retinue.
  • Summary: The hosts recap the capture following Atahualpa’s grand entrance and the subsequent Spanish charge where his men were killed. The episode picks up the morning after, with Atahualpa in shock but Pizarro assuring him they would not kill him in cold blood.
Inca Army Reaction and Loot
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(00:08:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa’s immediate order to his massive army was to stand down and await his command, leading to their complete bewilderment and non-resistance when confronted by Hernando de Soto.
  • Summary: Soto encountered the 70,000-strong Inca army outside the city, which offered no resistance and even made signs of obedience to the Spaniards. Soto returned with a significant initial haul of gold, silver, and emeralds, which revealed to the Spanish that the Incas valued these materials aesthetically, not monetarily.
Atahualpa’s Character and Rituals
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(00:14:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa was described as handsome, fierce, and capable, even playing chess well, yet maintained extreme ritualistic authority, such as having everything he touched burned.
  • Summary: Descriptions of Atahualpa note his gravity and lively arguments, alongside unsubtle habits like drinking chicha from the silver-spouted skull of a defeated general. Anything touched by the Sapa Inca, including spat remnants and floor rushes, was immediately burned to ashes, underscoring his divine status.
Civil War Context and Generals
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(00:19:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa maintained control from captivity by ordering the murder of his brother Huascar and instructing his three main generals—Kiskis, Chalcuchima, and Ruminawi—to hold their positions and await ransom collection.
  • Summary: The murder of Huascar at Andamarca confirmed Atahualpa’s ruthless focus on finishing the civil war, even while imprisoned by foreigners. Generals Kiskis (in Cusco) and Chalcuchima (en route) were ordered to wait, as Atahualpa viewed the Spanish as a temporary factor within his larger political struggle.
Looting of Sacred Temples
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(00:23:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa directed the Spanish to loot the sacred temples of Pachacamac and Coricancha in Cusco, partly to punish the priesthoods that had failed him and partly to punish his brother’s southern capital.
  • Summary: The priests at Pachacamac had given disastrous prophecies, making the oracle useless to Atahualpa, while Cusco was the heartland of his rival Huascar. Hernando Pizarro’s expedition to Cusco resulted in the stripping of the Coricancha temple, yielding 20 metric tons of gold and silver, despite local prophecies warning of a universal flood if the temple was attacked.
Chalcuchima’s Capture
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(00:28:04)
  • Key Takeaway: General Chalcuchima, the most experienced Inca commander, tragically surrendered himself to Hernando Pizarro after a night of argument, delivering himself into captivity.
  • Summary: Chalcuchima, commanding 35,000 men near Jauja, initially refused to accompany Hernando Pizarro back to Cajamarca but relented by morning, possibly influenced by local anti-Atahualpa sentiment (the Wanka people). Upon arrival, he was immediately threatened with burning, leading to the Spanish setting him on fire to extract information, despite Atahualpa’s assurances that they would not harm him.
Division of the Ransom
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(00:39:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Following the collection of the ransom, Pizarro systematically cheated his partner Almagro out of an equal share, while sending his brother Hernando to Spain to secure royal approval for his governorship.
  • Summary: The total ransom amounted to the largest ever paid, quantified in billions of modern dollars, but Pizarro ensured his own share was seven times that of a regular horseman. Almagro received only token amounts, fueling future conflict, while Hernando departed with gold to solidify Pizarro’s legal standing with Charles V.
Decision on Atahualpa’s Fate
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(00:51:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Amid rumors that the northern general Ruminawi was planning a rescue, Pizarro faced a critical dilemma: keeping Atahualpa alive was legally risky but practically useful, while killing him was expedient but violated his promise.
  • Summary: Pizarro was conflicted because executing the emperor, whom he had promised life, risked royal condemnation, similar to the justification Cortes needed for Montezuma. The early conquistadors favored keeping Atahualpa alive as a hostage, noting that no Spaniard had been harmed since his capture, but growing fear of Ruminawi’s approach forced a decision.
Pizarro’s Legal Dilemma
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(00:55:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Pizarro feared Charles V’s reaction to murdering a monarch without justification.
  • Summary: The Spanish were highly legalistic, and Pizarro’s governorship required royal approval, making the execution of a promised-life emperor politically dangerous. Pizarro was anxious that Charles V would react strongly, similar to how Cortés had to fabricate excuses for murdering Montezuma. This anxiety created a conflict between practical expediency (killing Atahualpa) and legal imperatives.
Debate Over Atahualpa’s Fate
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(00:56:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Pizarro’s original men favored keeping Atahualpa alive as an honorable hostage, while newcomers demanded his death to secure the march to Cusco.
  • Summary: In mid-July 1533, Pizarro’s initial group argued for keeping Atahualpa alive based on honor, the fulfilled ransom, and his utility as a hostage, noting no Spanish had been harmed since his capture. Conversely, those who arrived with Alvarado argued he was a focus for resistance and they needed to move quickly to claim gold in Cusco. Hernando de Soto was sent away while this internal tension mounted.
Hysteria Triggers Execution
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(00:57:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Fabricated rumors of approaching Inca troops created paranoia that forced Pizarro to agree to Atahualpa’s death.
  • Summary: Spaniards, terrified by being isolated among millions, succumbed to hysteria fueled by false reports of approaching Inca armies near Cajamarca. This fear led Almagro and others to demand a final meeting where royal officials backed the execution, forcing a reluctant Pizarro to agree. Pizarro justified the decision by claiming Atahualpa had plotted treason.
Kangaroo Court Proceedings
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(00:59:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa was convicted in a rudimentary court-martial on charges including idolatry, fratricide, and treason.
  • Summary: Spanish sources disagree on whether a formal trial occurred, but accounts suggest a rudimentary court-martial where Pizarro and Almagro acted as judges. Atahualpa broke down crying, offering double the ransom, but was ultimately found guilty of numerous capital offenses. The sentence for treason was death by burning unless he converted to Christianity.
Baptism and Garroting
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(01:00:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Atahualpa converted to Christianity to avoid being burned, which would prevent his body from entering the Inca afterlife (Hana Pancha).
  • Summary: Burning was unthinkable for an Inca emperor whose body needed to be mummified for eternal life and participation in future festivals. After accepting baptism and being named Francisco by the friar Valverde, Atahualpa was garrotted (strangled) instead of burned on July 26th. The Spanish then grilled his body and left it in the square as a message.
Spanish and Royal Reaction
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(01:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The execution was viewed negatively by the Spanish Crown, key lieutenants, and most Spanish chroniclers as an act of grave sin and poor governance.
  • Summary: Hernando de Soto returned to find Atahualpa dead and was furious, viewing the hostage’s death as the loss of a major asset. Charles V expressed displeasure, stating the execution of a monarch done in the name of justice was unacceptable, leading Pizarro’s position to become unstable. Chroniclers like Pedro Cieza de León called it the most evil deed committed in the Indies.
Aftermath and Next Steps
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(01:07:20)
  • Key Takeaway: With Atahualpa dead, Pizarro faced internal dissent and needed to install a new puppet ruler to continue the conquest toward Cusco.
  • Summary: Pizarro was isolated, as his brother Hernando was in Spain, De Soto was furious, and Diego de Almagro was livid over the unequal treasure division. The death left the Inca Empire leaderless, forcing the conquistadors to head south toward Cusco to find a new figurehead they could control.