Atahualpas

Atahualpa, also spelled Atahuallpa, was the last emperor of the Inca Empire before its conquest by the Spanish. He was born around 1502, the son of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac. Following Huayna Capac's death in 1527, a civil war erupted between Atahualpa and his half-brother, Huascar, over succession to the throne. Atahualpa, based in the northern city of Quito, eventually defeated Huascar and captured him in 1532.

His victory was short-lived. Shortly after consolidating his power, Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro arrived in Peru. Pizarro arranged a meeting with Atahualpa in the city of Cajamarca. During this encounter in November 1532, the Spanish ambushed Atahualpa's unarmed retinue, capturing the emperor. Despite being held for ransom, which Atahualpa paid with vast amounts of gold and silver, the Spanish executed him in July 1533. His death marked a pivotal moment, effectively ending the independent Inca Empire and ushering in Spanish colonial rule. The exact circumstances and motivations behind his execution remain subjects of historical debate.