Introduction - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 8

Brothers Divide as the Spanish Arrive
After their father (Huayna-Capac) died, a fratricidal struggle fol-
lowed as Huascar declared war on Atahualpa. Huascar - born of pure
Inca blood in Cuzco - claimed the empire, though he reportedly was a
drunken, cruel and poor ruler. Atahualpa, though born of a “lesser”
wife, was apparently a much more capable and benign ruler.
Atahualpa sent his troops south from Quito to meet Huascar near
Riobamba, where they fought. Initially captured, Atahualpa escaped
and, with the aid of his father's loyal and capable generals, defeated
Huascar. Ecuadorians today point to this conflict and victory as a
source of pride and virtue over neighboring Peru.
Nevertheless, the Inca Empire was permanently weakened during
the critical period of the Spanish arrival in 1532. Atahualpa, having
recently defeated his brother, was recovering in Cajamarca in north-
ern Peru when he heard the Spaniards were coming. Nobody knows
why Atahualpa did not strike first with his still relatively powerful
force. Historians theorize that there may have been confusion over
whether these bearded creatures were gods or men, or perhaps a cer-
tain level of unconcern over such a small number of soldiers. In any
event, Francisco Pizarro summoned Atahualpa and then ambushed
him. Hidden conquistadors, who appeared more as deities than hu-
mans to the natives, fired upon and killed thousands of Inca soldiers
and captured Atahualpa. With the natives' “Fear of God,” the Span-
ish easily subdued the weakened empire. After Atahualpa was
captured, he survived for a year by paying large ransoms, but eventu-
ally the Spanish saved his soul by baptizing and then executing him.
The Spanish then advanced towardQuito. Atahualpa's general - and
modern-day Inca hero - Rumiñahui , resisted the Spanish for two
more years, though the Cañari-backed conquistadors defeated them
at a major battle near Chimborazo Volcano. Then, as the Spanish
gained ground, Rumiñahui destroyed Quito rather than hand it over
to the conquerors. In 1534 the Spanish rebuilt Quito, dubbed it the
Royal Audencia de Quito , and proceeded to track down and execute
Rumiñahui. Though there were other rebellions led by Inca leaders
throughout the old empire, the Spanish were able to successfully
murder, trick, seduce, infect with disease or breed out any further na-
tive resistance.
The Colonial Era
The era of Spanish rule was short-lived but perhaps the single most
significant influence in shaping Ecuador of today. It took only 2,000