The travels of Pedro de Cieza de Léon; part 2Cieza de León, Pedro de
History
The travels of Pedro de Cieza de Léon; part 2
Cieza de León, Pedro de
Incas; Peru -- History -- To 1548
Huayna Capac being dead, and the mourning and lamentation having been
performed, although he left more than forty sons, none attempted to
deviate from their allegiance to Huascar, to whom, as they well knew,
the kingdom belonged. Although it was known that the order of Huayna
Capac was that the uncle of Huascar should govern, there were not
wanting those who advised the young Inca to assume the fringe at once,
and with it the government of the whole country as king. As most of the
native lords of provinces had come to Cuzco for the obsequies of Huayna
Capac, it was represented that the feast of the coronation might be very
grand, and thus he resolved to act. Leaving the government of the city
in the hands of the officer to whom it had been entrusted by his father,
he entered upon the fast with the accustomed observances. He came forth
with the fringe, and there were great festivities. The cable of gold was
brought out into the square, with the images of the Incas, and, in
accordance with their usage, they spent some days in drinking-bouts. At
the end of these days of feasting, the news was sent to all parts of the
kingdom, with the orders of the new king, and certain Orejones were sent
to Quito to bring back his father’s women and household.
Atahualpa received the news that Huascar had assumed the fringe, and
that he desired that all should yield him obedience. The captains of
Huayna Capac had not yet departed from Quito and its neighbourhood, and
there were secret communications between them as to the possibility of
remaining in those lands of Quito, without going to Cuzco at the call of
Huascar, for they had found the land of Quito to be as good as that of
Cuzco. Some among them hesitated, saying that it was not lawful to
refrain from recognising the great Inca, who was lord of all. But Illa
Tupac[251] was not loyal to Huascar, as Huayna Capac had requested, and
he had promised; for they say that he engaged in secret negotiations and
discussions with Atahualpa, He said that, among the sons of Huayna
Capac, this one showed the most spirit and valour, and that his father
ordered that he should govern Quito and its territory. He spoke in this
way to the captains Chalcuchima, Acla-hualpa, Rumi-ñaui,[252] Quizquiz,
Pecopagua,[253] and many others, urging them to assist in making
Atahualpa the Inca of those parts, as his brother was of Cuzco. These,
with Illa Tupac who was a traitor to his natural lord Huascar, having
been left as governor until the Inca should be of full age, agreed to
recognise Atahualpa, who was then declared to be lord. The women of his
father were delivered to him, whom he received as his own, and his
father’s household and house service were handed over to him, to do with
them according to his will.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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