Cold Open

It’s November 16th, 1532, in the town of Cajamarca in the Inca Empire, a region the Spanish call Peru.

Conquistador Francisco Pizarro presses his back against the cool stone of a long, low building. Shifting his weight, he peers out through a window. The town square beyond is quiet. But he knows it won’t stay that way much longer.

Francisco is an ambitious man in his mid-fifties. Tall and well-built with a full beard streaked with gray, he's risen from relative obscurity to become one of the richest men in the world. Now, he's come deep into the Andes mountains to conquer the Inca Empire, the greatest military power in the New World.

Through intermediaries, Francisco has agreed to meet the Emperor, the Sapa Inca, here in town. But he has more than just words in store for him. Francisco is plotting an ambush.

The stone beneath his feet rumbles. A large force is approaching. Francisco has just 168 soldiers at his command, and it sounds like they will soon be facing an army numbering several thousand. But Francisco hopes to surprise the Inca and overwhelm them with weapons they have never seen before: steel, horses, and guns.

Francisco looks over at his men. A third of his small force is with him. The rest, his cavalry, is concealed in other buildings around the square. Francisco can see his men are nervous, and he is, too. Because if this goes wrong, they will all certainly die.

As the sun begins to set, thousands of men enter the square. They wear ceremonial robes, and their heads glint with gold and silver crowns.

Behind them comes the Sapa Inca himself. His litter is lined with a rainbow of parrot feathers and carried by 80 men in vivid blue cloaks. Emperor Atahualpa is around 30 years old. Dressed in shimmering regalia, he stares down imperiously from his high seat. And as Atahualpa reaches the center of the plaza…he orders his men to halt and calls out for the Spanish to show themselves. Francisco doesn’t move.

Instead, he slides his sword from his belt. He looks to his men and gives the signal. It’s time to spring the trap.

By the time night falls over Cajamarca, the course of South American history will have changed forever. The town’s plaza will be covered in blood, and Francisco Pizarro will hold the life of an emperor in his hands. Until, after nine months of abuse and lies, he will kill Atahualpa on August 29th, 1533.

Introduction

From Noiser and Airship, I’m Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily.

History is made every day. On this podcast—every day—we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world.

Today is August 29th, 1533: The Execution of the Last Inca Emperor.

Act One: The Ambush

It’s early November 1532 in the mountains of the Inca Empire, one week before the Battle of Cajamarca.

Francisco Pizarro rides his horse at the head of a column of men making their way along a cliffside road. The broad and well-kept path is part of a vast transportation network built by the Incas that stretches up and down the coast and deep into the mountains. It’s made Francisco’s journey through this land relatively easy, and he is especially glad of it now. He is leading his men towards the town of Cajamarca, where they expect to meet a force unlike any they've faced so far.

This is Francisco’s third expedition to South America. And if he had attempted to enter Inca territory during his two earlier expeditions, he would have found a unified and powerful empire ruled by the mighty Sapa Inca Huayna Capac. But this time, Francisco’s path has been unexpectedly cleared by another recent arrival from Europe – smallpox. Huayna Capac and his heir both died of the disease in 1527, leaving two younger sons to fight for the throne. Five years later, that conflict is still raging, and amid the chaos, it’s been easy for Francisco and his men to march deep into the Inca Empire.

Now, as they close in on the town of Cajamarca, it seems the younger of the two sons, Atahualpa, is poised to seize victory and become the new Sapa Inca. But the spread of disease and the bitter fight between the brothers has left the empire unstable and vulnerable.

Francisco Pizarro understands the importance of the moment. If he times it right, he can pull off a tried and tested tactic: the decapitation strike. Without its leader, Francisco believes the Inca Empire will soon fall back into infighting—and he will be able to take advantage.

All he has to do is lure Atahualpa into a trap. Atahualpa has already heard about the strange visitors to his land. Stories of their unusual clothing and the large beasts they ride have reached his camp, and a few days ago, Francisco received word that Atahualpa would meet with him in the town of Cajamarca.

So, Francisco and his men arrive there on November 15th and immediately get to work preparing their ambush. The next evening, Atahualpa is carried into the town square at the head of a vast force of men. But watching from the shadows, Francisco can’t help noticing that the Incas aren’t dressed for battle. They have no idea what’s coming.

Francisco sends out a Dominican friar to begin the talks. The friar approaches Atahualpa and delivers a demand: that the Incas submit to the Christian God and the King of Spain. Atahualpa refuses and tosses aside the prayer book the friar hands him. That’s when Francisco gives the signal to attack.

Cannons open fire from concealed positions, tearing into Atahualpa’s men. As screams of pain and fear echo across the stone plaza, Francisco raises his sword and, with a roar, leads his men into battle.

The Incas try to flee, but their sheer number makes escape from the enclosed square almost impossible. Those who aren’t cut down by the sword or gunfire are trampled by horses or their own terrified countrymen.

After two hours of slaughter, Atahualpa himself is taken prisoner. He is taken into one of the buildings surrounding the square, where he is invited to dine with Francisco. Atahualpa appreciates that he is being shown respect by his captors. And it gives him confidence that he won’t be a prisoner for long. He's a savvy leader and strategist, and he’s certain he can turn even this humiliating defeat around.

So as he shares a meal with the man who has defeated him, Atahualpa’s mind races, thinking of ways to negotiate his release so he can finally begin his rule as Sapa Inca. He’s certain he will be free soon. He just has to bide his time and find his enemy’s weakness.

It won’t be long before Atahualpa will think he knows what Francisco Pizarro is after in South America. But gold won’t offer Atahualpa an escape. Instead, it’ll be his death warrant.

Act Two: The Deal

It’s the morning of November 17th, 1532, only hours after Atahualpa was taken prisoner and thousands of his men were killed in a massacre in the town of Cajamarca.

Taken captive, Atahualpa paces in the small bed chamber that has become his makeshift prison cell. He’s been allowed to keep a small number of servants with him, but armed Spanish guards stand outside the doorway at all times. And even if Atahualpa could get out of the town, he knows he wouldn’t make it far. Some of his captors ride terrifying, large beasts that can cover great distances very quickly. Just last night, he saw how awesome a weapon these horses could be in battle, providing soldiers a high angle to attack from and trampling fallen enemies underfoot. He could never hope to outrun them.

Rescue seems just as unlikely. Although Atahualpa still has a powerful army in the field, he knows that any assault on Cajamarca would cost him his life—his Spanish captors would surely kill him before giving him up.

But as Atahualpa contemplates his situation, a commotion in the square outside draws him to a small window. Dozens of the foreign men are laughing and cheering.

The Sapa Inca understands the thrill of victory, but this feels different. Scanning the crowd, he can see that the men are gathered around several small chests filled with gold and silver plates. Atahualpa recognizes these treasures. They are from his private tent. The Spanish must have looted his camp.

As he watches the men dig excitedly through his belongings, Atahualpa narrows his eyes and smiles. Because this is an opportunity he can exploit.

Atahualpa turns to one of his servants and gives him a simple message to deliver to Francisco—the haul the Spanish are celebrating now is nothing special. Atahualpa ate and drank off them. They are common items, not treasures. If the Spanish want a real fortune, Atahualpa will provide one. But they’ll have to grant his freedom in return.

Francisco quickly summons Atahualpa to meet with him in private. A few minutes later, Francisco and Atahualpa stare each other down. Francisco asks just how much gold the Sapa Inca is willing to pay. Atahualpa looks around at the room they are in. Tossing his head like it’s nothing, he says he can give them enough riches to fill the whole space. A stunned silence follows, then Francisco calls for his secretary, and they record the offer as a formal pledge.

But though he believes he has now bought his own freedom, the truth is that Atahualpa has made a dire error in judgment. He thinks Francisco and his men are just bandits—violent thieves who will leave once they are paid off. But Francisco’s small force is merely the advance party for a larger Spanish invasion. And by demonstrating Peru’s vast wealth, Atahualpa has only made the Inca Empire a more tempting prize.

Over the months that follow, Atahualpa’s ransom flows into Cajamarca and is stacked in the very room he promised to fill with treasure. The Spanish melt it all down into easily transportable ingots, destroying countless priceless artifacts in the process. But more than just gold and silver comes to Cajamarca. News reaches Atahualpa that his older brother and rival, Huascar, is looking to take advantage of the situation. He's made his own offer to the Conquistadors, promising even more than Atahualpa in return for their help seizing the Inca throne. If Francisco Pizarro accepts this rival offer, Atahualpa knows he won’t be needed any longer. Either his brother will kill him, or the Spanish will do it for him.

But Atahualpa has one card left to play. He secretly sends an order for his brother to be assassinated. And soon, word comes back that Huascar is dead, drowned in a river not far from Cajamarca.

It doesn’t take long for the Spanish to hear the news—and Francisco Pizarro isn’t happy. When he confronts Atahualpa about the sudden death of his brother, Atahualpa insists that it must have been an accident, one he had nothing to do with. Francisco considers the story before giving a curt nod and departing.

It seems to Atahualpa that he’s gotten away with the killing. And after that, he breathes easier, believing that once his ransom is paid in full, he will return to freedom with his position as Sapa Inca secure.

But again, Atahualpa has underestimated his foe. Francisco is not convinced by the story of Huascar’s accidental death. Instead, he will use the murder as an excuse to break his agreement with Atahualpa and dispose of the Sapa Inca once and for all.

Act Three: The Betrayal

It’s August 29th, 1533, in the square in Cajamarca's plaza, nine months after the massacre there.

Francisco Pizarro watches as a friar steps towards the Sapa Inca Atahualpa. The friar begins the rituals to baptize the Atahualpa into the Christian faith. But this is no moment of joy. Atahualpa is bound to a stake in the middle of the square and is just minutes away from execution.

After paying the ransom Atahualpa promised, he expected to be released. And that’s when he realized his mistake. The Spanish are not just bandits who will leave with their treasure. They intend to stay in the land they call Peru and make the Inca Empire a vassal state of Spain. But to do that, they need a more pliable Sapa Inca, a man whose loyalty they know they can depend on.

Francisco has just the puppet in mind—another of Atahualpa’s brothers, who has secretly been assisting the Spanish for months. But for him to take the throne, Atahualpa must die.

After a show trial, Atahualpa was convicted of the murder of his brother, Huascar, and treason against the Spanish crown. He was sentenced to death by burning—but was then offered a final mercy. If he agreed to convert to Christianity, he would be given a quicker, less agonizing death. It’s one final humiliation for Atahualpa. But his terror of the flames has seen him accept the deal.

Atahualpa is given the Christian name Francisco, in honor of his captor and the man who signed his death warrant. The friar bows his head in a final prayer before he steps away.

With the ceremony complete, Francisco gives the order for the execution to begin. A rope is looped around Atahualpa’s neck and pulled tight against the stake he's bound to, strangling him. He struggles briefly, but it's soon over. Days later, Atahualpa’s younger brother is crowned Sapa Inca and swears allegiance to the Spanish crown.

With a force of less than two hundred men, Francisco Pizarro has brought down one Empire and expanded another. He has exchanged an unwilling hostage for a puppet and laid the foundations for Spain to dominate the Americas for centuries to come. And he’s done it all with the execution of one man, Atahualpa, the last independent Sapa Inca, who was killed on August 29th, 1533.

Outro

Next on History Daily. September 1st, 1972. Bobby Fisher defeats a Soviet grandmaster to become the first American to win the World Chess Championship.

From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham.

Audio editing by Muhammed Shahzaib.

Sound design by Gabriel Gould.

Supervising Sound Designer Matthew Filler.

Music by Thrumm.

This episode is written and researched by Samuel Hume.

Edited by Joel Callen.

Managing producer Emily Burke.

Executive Producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.