Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James
Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton
and Company, 1887-1889 and 1999. Virtualology.com warns that these 19th Century
biographies contain errors and bias. We rely on volunteers to edit the historic
biographies on a continual basis. If you would like to edit this biographyplease
submit a rewritten biography in text form.
If acceptable, the new biography will be published above the 19th Century
Appleton's Cyclopedia Biography citing the volunteer editor
Virtual American Biographies
Over 30,000 personalities
with thousands of 19th Century illustrations, signatures, and exceptional life
stories. Virtualology.com
welcomes editing and additions to the
biographies. To become this site's editor or a contributor
Click Here
or e-mail Virtualology here.
MANC0 CAPAC
(mang-ko-kah-pack'), founder and first inca of the empire of Peru, died
in Peru about 1107. He is supposed to have been some stranger from a foreign
land, who gathered the savage tribes together on the borders of Lake Titicaca
and persuaded them that he was the offspring of the sun, and had been sent to
earth, with Mama-Oclla Huacco, his sister and wife, to make men good and happy.
The Peruvians, according to their tradition,
listened to his instructions submissively. The naked men who were scattered
through the forests assembled at his command, and were taught by Manco to till
the earth, direct the course of the streams, and protect themselves against the
severity of the weather, while the Indian women learned from Oclla Huacco the
art of weaving wool and cotton, obedience to their husbands," and how to train
their children.
Then Manco Capac proceeded to establish his
power on the basis of religion. He abolished human sacrifices, taught his
subjects to adore as a supreme but unknown God the great Pachacamac (the soul or
support of the universe), and to offer externally their principal homage to the
sun, his father, as a known and visible god, the source of light and fertility,
and, after him, to the stars and the moon.
He afterward laid the foundation of the city
of Cuzco (the navel or centre of the earth), in the beautiful valley of that
name, surrounded it with villages, divided the Peruvians into several tribes,
and placed chiefs or "caracas" over them, who governed the people as lieutenants
of the inca. After instituting the festival of the sun, he raised temples to
this deity, which he adorned with gold and silver.
Manco Capac lived to see the empire prosper
that he had founded, and then, feeling his strength diminishing, he told his
subjects that he was going to rest in the bosom of the sun, his father, and died
after a happy reign of thirty or forty years. He was succeeded by Sinchi Rocca-Inca,
his eldest son, whose reign was signalized by the same kindness and benevolence.
