The Tahuantinsuyo
Had become a major administrative and military center, especially under the rule of Atahualpa, who inherited it from his father Huayna Capac. It represented the empire's northern reach and strength
It was a flourishing highland city known for its culture and thermal baths; it would later become the site of a dramatic encounter when Atahualpa was captured there by Pizarro in 1532.
The Inca Empire, or Tahuantinsuyu, was the largest and most powerful civilization in Pre-Columbian America. It covered a territory of over 2 million square kilometers, acquired through successful campaigns of conquest. It was a empire filled with infrastructural innovations and a significantly more complex government than it looks like. After a long period of economic and territorial prosperity (especially during the reign of the Inca Pachacutec), the death of the Sapan Inca Huayna Capac completely destabilized the empire, and it did so at just the right time.
The heart of the Inca Empire, a sacred city considered the "navel of the world" and capital from where the Sapa Inca governed vast territories across the Andes.
Civil War
After the death of the eleventh Inca sovereign, Huayna Capac, tensions over who would be the successor to the throne took over the empire as Huayna Capac had several children. In Cuzco, Huascar assumed the throne with the almost unanimous support of the Inca elite. To the south of the territory, Huascar's younger brother, Atahualpa, remained in Quito, and decided not to attend his father's funeral rituals, nor his brother's coronation ceremony. Huascar took this as an offense and ordered a military campaign to assassinate his younger brother.
Huascar did not consider that Atahualpa had his father's army, much more numerous and experienced. He also had three of the most successful generals in the Inca army. Rumiñahui, Quisquis and Calcuchímac. Huascar, who had nothing like it, had to resort to peasant recruits.
This advantage caused Atahualpa's forces to defeat the first army sent by Huascar, commanded by General Athoc, which was beheaded. After the first victory, Generals Quisquis and Calcuchímac advanced to the outskirts of the imperial city of Cuzco. Huascar decided to command his army by himself
The decisive battle took place at Hunacopampa (The Battle of Huanacopampa) south of Cuzco. Huascar's troops managed to defeat their opponents at first, but in a demonstration of their inexperience, they decided not to pursue the weakened army that fled. The Inca decided to camp and celebrate that night, for the next day to go in search of the army that he had defeated.
The night gave Atahualpa's generals time to regroup and plan an ambush. When Huascar decided to go in search of his opponents, he divided his army into three groups, one of them staying in the camp. The Inca did not expect Calcuchímac to block his way, while Quisquis and his men ambushed them from the rear, preventing any possibility of retreat, finishing off his army and trapping him
Huascar was stripped of his royal robes and jewels, which were sent to Atahualpa as a sign of victory. Atahualpa ordered the execution of his half-brother's wives and children and began to march towards Cajamarca to await news of his troops' attack on Cuzco. At the same time, his chasquis told him about an event that would arouse his curiosity, according to messengers, strange strangers with white skin and beards, had arrived on the coasts of Tumbes, in immense floating houses, accompanied by beasts never seen before and rods capable of causing thunder.