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MANCO INCA YUPANQUI, sometimes
wrongly called Manco Capac II. (mang-ko-ing-ka-yu-pang'-ke), Inca of Peru, born
in Cuzco in 1516; died in the Andes in 1544. He was the son of Huaina Capac, the
twelfth monarch in succession from the founder of the state.
After the death of his brother,
Atahualpa (q. v.), he was acknowledged Inca by the city of Cuzco and the
adjacent country, although the Spanish conqueror had bestowed the royal dignity
on another brother of Atahualpa, who died shortly afterward.
When Cuzco was besieged by the invaders,
Manco defended the city, and when he was forced to abandon his capital took
refuge in the mountains. But, imagining that his conquerors were beings of a
superior nature, he consented to receive the crown of his ancestors [actually a
tassel or fringe, called below an “inlet” because of its embroidery. It was worn
on the forehead.] from the hands of Pizarro and recognize the supremacy of the
king of Spain. After an interview with the conqueror he made his public entry
into Cuzco in 1534 in a palanquin, escorted by a Spanish guard, and was
presented the next day to the people and girt with the royal inlet.
Not being able to obtain the restoration
of all his rights according to the terms of the treaty, and seeing that on the
contrary he was closely guarded, he determined to escape, Though strictly
watched, he found means of communicating his plans to those of his followers who
were to be entrusted with their execution.
His attempts, although carried on with
great secrecy, were at first unsuccessful, but Hernando Pizarro having arrived
in Cuzco in 1536, he obtained his permission to attend a national festival at
some distance from the capital. It was arranged that the principal chiefs of the
empire should be present at this solemnity.
As soon as Manco joined them, he
unfurled the standard of war, and in a short time all the fighting men from
Quito to Chile were in arms. The Spanish troops had been divided, in order to
invade different provinces.
The Inca cut several detachments to
pieces, and then besieged Cuzco, which was defended by 170 men, with a force
that amounted to 200,000, if the Spanish chroniclers are to be believed. He also
sent a division to besiege Lima. He had succeeded in making himself master of
the citadel and a part of the capital, when the arrival of Almagro from Chile,
with a body of troops, saved the Spanish garrison.
The Inca entered into negotiations with
Almagro, whose hostility to Pizarro he was acquainted with, but after the
rejection of his overtures he attacked the Spanish forces, and was defeated with
much slaughter. Almagro afterward proposed to Manco to unite with him against
Pizarro, but the Inca refused this alliance with scorn, saying, according to
Spanish historians: " I have taken up arms to recover my rights and restore
freedom to the Peruvians, not to protect the designs of one vile usurper against
another."
Then the unfortunate prince, despairing
of regaining his kingdom, disbanded his army and tried to persuade his subjects
to submit to their conquerors. He fled to Villa-pampa, in the heart of the
Andes, in 1537, where he was killed in a brawl several years afterward by a
fugitive partisan of Almagro to whom he had given hospitality.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, by John Looby Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.comTM
MANCO INCA YUPANQUI, sometimes wrongly called Manco CAPAC II. (mang-ko-ing-ka-yu-pang'-ke), inca of Peru, born in Cuzco in 1516; died in the Andes in 1544. He was the son of Huaina Capac, the twelfth monarch in succession from the founder of the state. After the death of his brother, Atahualpa (q. v.), he was acknowledged inca by the city of Cuzco and the adjacent country, although the Spanish conqueror had bestowed the royal dignity on another brother of Atahualpa, who died shortly afterward. When Cuzco was besieged by the invaders, Manco defended the city, and when ha was forced to abandon his capital took refuge in the mountains. But, imagining that his conquerors were beings of a superior nature, ha consented to receive the crown of his ancestors from the hands of Pizarro and recognize the supremacy of the king of Spain. After an interview with the conqueror he made his public entry into Cuzco in 1534 in a palanquin, escorted by a Spanish guard, and was presented the next day to the people and girt with the royal inlet. Not being able to obtain the restoration of all his rights according to the terms of the treaty, and seeing that on the contrary he was closely guarded, he determined to escape, Though strictly watched, he found means of communicating his plans to those of his followers who were to be intrusted with their execution. His attempts, although carried on with great secrecy, were at first unsuccessful, but Hernando Pizarro having arrived in Cuzco in 1536, ha obtained his permission to attend a national festival at some distance from the capital. It was arranged that the principal chiefs of the empire should be present at this solemnity. As soon as Manco joined them, he unfurled the standard of war, and in a short time all the fighting men from Quito to Chili were in arms. The Spanish troops had been divided, in order to invade different provinces. The inca cut several detachments to pieces, and then besieged Cuzco, which was defended by 170 men, with a force that amounted to 200,000, if the Spanish chroniclers are to be believed, he also sent a division to besiege Lima. He had succeeded in making himself master of the citadel and a part of the capital, when the arrival of Almagro from Chili, with a body of troops, saved the Spanish garrison. The inca entered into negotiations with Almagro, whose hostility to Pizarro he was acquainted with, but after the rejection of his overtures he attacked the Spanish forces, and was defeated with much slaughter. Almagro afterward proposed to Manco to unite with him against Pizarro, but the inca refused this alliance with scorn, saying, according to Spanish historians: " I have taken up arms to recover my rights and restore freedom to the Peruvians, not to protect the designs of one vile usurper against another." Then the unfortunate prince, despairing of regaining his kingdom, disbanded his army and tried to persuade his subjects to submit to their conquerors. He fled to Villa-pampa, in the heart of the Andes, in 1537, where he was killed in a brawl several years afterward by a fugitive partisan of Almagro to whom he had given hospitality.