Sapa Inca

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Statue of the Sapa Inca Pachacuti wearing the Mascapaicha (imperial crown), in the main square of Aguas Calientes, Peru

The Sapa Inca (from Quechua Sapa Inka "the only Inca") was the Emperor of the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu), as well as ruler of the earlier Kingdom of Cuzco and the later Neo-Inca State. While the origins of the position are mythical and originate from the legendary foundation of the city of Cusco, it seems to have come into being historically around 1100 CE. Although the Inca believed the Sapa to be the son of Inti (the Inca Sun god) and often referred to him as Intip Churin or ‘Son of the Sun,’ the position eventually became hereditary, with son succeeding father.^[1][2][3] The principal wife of the Inca was known as the Coya or Qoya.^[3] The Sapa Inca was at the top of the social hierarchy, and played a dominant role in the political and spiritual realm.^[3]

There were two known dynasties, led by the Hurin and Hanan moieties respectively.^[4] The latter was in power at the time of Spanish conquest. The last effective Sapa Inca of Inca Empire was Atahualpa, who was executed by Francisco Pizarro and his conquistadors in 1533, but several successors later claimed the title.^[5]

Other terms for Sapa Inca, also spelled Sapan Inca, include Apu ("divinity"), Inka Qhapaq ("mighty Inca"), or simply Sapa ("the only one").

Choosing the Inca[]

Chronicles identify the Inca as the highest ruler equivalent to European kings of the Middle Ages. However, the original access to that position was not linked to the inheritance of the eldest son, as is for a monarchy, but to the perceived selection of the gods by means of rigorous challenges, to which the physical and moral aptitudes of the pretender were tested.^[2] These trials were accompanied by a complex spiritual ritual through which the Sun god, Inti nominated the one who should assume the Inca position.^[2] Eventually, with the passage of time, Incas named their favorite son as co-governor with the intention of securing his succession,^[6] for example, Huiracocha Inca associated Inca Urco to the throne.^[7] The Coya, or Sapa Inca's primary wife, had significant influence upon making this decision of which son is apt to succeed his father.^[3][8]

Tokapu or symbolic motif thought by Victoria de La Jara to represent the meaning of Sapa Inca (first row, first from the left).

Functions[]

The Sapa Inca was the absolute ruler of the empire and accumulated in his power the political, social, military, and economic direction of the State.^[9][3] He ordered and directed the construction of great engineering works, such as Sacsayhuaman, a fortress that took 50 years to complete;^[10] or the urban plan of the cities.^[11] However, among their most notable works was the network of roads that crossed the entire empire and allowed a rapid journey for the administrators, messengers and armies^[12] provided with hanging bridges and tambos.^[13] They made sure to always be supplied and well cared for,^[14] as is reflected in the construction of storehouses scattered throughout the empire and vast food and resource redistribution systems.^[3][8] The commander and chief of the standing army founded military colonies to expand the culture and control, while simultaneously ensuring the preservation of that network.^[15][3]

At the religious level, they were symbolic of the sun and promoted the worship of Inti, regarded as their father,^[16] and organized the calendar.^[17] At the political level, they sent inspectors to oversee the loyalty and efficiency of civil servants and collect tribute from the subjugated peoples.^[18] The emperors promoted a unified and decentralized government in which Cuzco acted as the articulating axis of the different regions or Suyu.^[19] They appointed highly trusted governors.^[20] At the economic level, they decided how much each province should pay according to its resources.^[21] They knew how to win over the curacas to ensure control of the communities. These were the intermediaries through whom they collected taxes.^[22][8]

Traditionally, every time an emperor died or resigned, his successor was disinherited from his father inheritance and formed his own lineage royal clan or Panaka, his father's lands, houses and servants were passed to his other children remaining on the previous Panaka. The new Sapa Inca had to obtain land and spoils to bequeath to his own descendants.^[23] Each time they subdued a people, they demanded that the defeated leader surrender part of their land to continue in command, and whose people pay tribute in the form of labor (mita) taxes.^[24][8]

The Sapa Inca also played a major role in the caring of the poor and hungry, hence his other title Huaccha Khoyaq or ‘Lover and Benefactor of the Poor’.^[3] The Sapa was responsible for organizing food redistribution in times of environmental disaster, allocated work via state-sponsored projects, and most notably promoted major state-sponsored religious feasts^[3] that followed each successful harvest season.^[8]

Distinction symbols[]

The Inca was divinized, both in his actions and his emblems. In public he carried the topayauri (scepter), ushno (golden throne), suntur páucar (feathered pike) and the mascaipacha (royal insignia) commonly carried in a llauto (headband), otherwise the mascapaicha could also be carried on an amachana chuku (military helmet).^[9] In religious ceremonies he was accompanied by the sacred white flame, the napa, and covered with a red blanket and adorned with gold earrings.^[25] With textiles representing a form of status and wealth, it has been speculated that the Sapa Inca never wore the same clothes twice.^[8] The community even revered the Sapa after his death, mummifying him and frequently visiting his tomb to "consult" him on pressing affairs.^[3]

Pre-Conquest Sapa Incas[]

First dynasty[]

Little is known of the rulers of the first dynasty of Sapa Incas. Evidently, they were affiliated with the Hurin moiety and their rule did not extend beyond the Kingdom of Cusco. Their origins are tied to the mythical establishment of Cusco and are shrouded in the later foundation myth. The dynasty was supposedly founded by Manco Cápac, considered the son of the Sun god Inti.^[26]

Title	Sapa Inca	Picture	Birth	Queen	Death
Inca of Cusco	Manco Cápac (Manqu Qhapaq) c. 1200–1230		Considered the son of the sun god Inti	Mama Uqllu	c. 1230
	Sinchi Roca (Sinchi Ruq'a) c. 1230–1260		Son of Manco Cápac	Mama Qura	c. 1260
	Lloque Yupanqui (Lluq'i Yupanki) c. 1260–1290		Son of Sinchi Roca	Mama Qawa	c. 1290
	Mayta Cápac (Mayta Qhapaq) c. 1290–1320		Son of Lloque Yupanqui		c. 1320
	Cápac Yupanqui (Qhapaq Yupanki) c. 1320–1350		Son of Mayta Cápac		c. 1350

As a rough guide to the later reputation of the early Sapa Incas, in later years capac meant warlord and sinchi meant leader.

Second dynasty[]

The second dynasty was affiliated with the Hanan moiety and was founded under Inca Roca, the son of the last Hurin Sapa Inca, Cápac Yupanqui. After Cápac Yupanqui's death, another of his sons, Inca Roca's half-brother , was intended to succeed him. However, the Hanan revolted and installed Inca Roca instead.^[2]

Title	Sapa Inca	Picture	Birth	Queen	Death
Inca of Cusco	Inca Roca (Inka Ruq'a) c. 1350–1380		Son of Cápac Yupanqui		c. 1380
	Yáhuar Huácac (Yawar Waqaq) c. 1380–1410		Son of Inca Roca		c. 1410
	Viracocha (Wiraqucha Inka) c. 1410–1438		Son of Yáhuar Huácac		1438
	Pachacuti (Pachakutiq) 1438–1471		Son of Viracocha		1471
	Túpac Inca Yupanqui (Tupaq Yupanki) 1471–1493		Son of Pachacuti	Mama Uqllu iskay ñiqin	1493
	Huayna Capac (Wayna Qhapaq) 1493–1527		Son of Túpac Inca Yupanqui	Kusi Rimay Arawa Uqllu	1527
	Huáscar (Waskar) 1527–1532		Son of Huayna Capac	Chukuy Waypa	1533 Killed by Atahualpa's agents.
	Atahualpa (Atawallpa) 1532–1533		Son of Huayna Capac	Quya Asarpay (sp?)	26 July 1533 Killed by the Spaniards

Ninan Cuyochi, who was Inca for only a few days in 1527, is sometimes left off the list of Sapa Incas because news of his death from smallpox arrived in Cusco very shortly after he was declared Sapa Inca. He had been with Huayna Cápac when he died. The death of Ninan, the presumed heir, led to the Inca Civil War between Huáscar and Atahualpa, a weakness that the Spanish exploited when they conquered the Inca Empire.^[8]

Post-Conquest Sapa Incas[]

Title	Sapa Inca	Picture	Birth	Death	Notes
Inca of Incas	Túpac Huallpa 1533		Son of Huayna Capac	1533	Installed by Francisco Pizarro.
	Manco Inca Yupanqui 1533–1544		Son of Huayna Capac	1544	Installed by Francisco Pizarro. Led a revolt against the Spaniards in 1536; after his defeat, established the Neo-Inca State in Vilcabamba.
	Paullu Inca 1536–1549		Son of Huayna Capac	1549	Installed by the Spaniards after Manco Inca rebelled; ruled in Cuzco.
Inca of Vilcabamba	Sayri Túpac 1544–1560		Son of Manco Inca Yupanqui	1560	Ruled in Vilcabamba.
	Titu Cusi 1563–1571		Son of Manco Inca Yupanqui	1571	Ruled in Vilcabamba.
	Túpac Amaru 1571–1572		Son of Manco Inca Yupanqui	24 September 1572 Killed by the Spaniards	Ruled in Vilcabamba. The last Sapa Inca.

This last Sapa Inca must not be confused with Túpac Amaru II, who was leader of an 18th-century Peruvian uprising.

Family tree[]

DYNASTY OF THE Sapa Inca

First Dynasty

Manco C��pac 1st Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1200–1230)

Mama Uqllu

Sinchi Roca 2nd Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1230–1260)

Mama Qura

Lloque Yupanqui 3rd Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1260–1290)

Mama Qawa

Mayta Cápac 4thSapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1290–1320)

Mama Takukaray

Cunti Mayta high priest

Cápac Yupanqui 5th Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1320–1350)

Mama Chimpu Qurihillpay

Cusi Chimbo

Quispe Yupanqui heir apparent to 1350

Inca Roca 6th Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1350 – c. 1380) younger son of Cápac Yupanqui chosen Sapa Inca when the Hanan moiety rebelled against the Hurin moiety

Mama Mikay

Second Dynasty

Apu Mayta a nephew & great warrior

Yáhuar Huácac 7th Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1380 – c. 1410)

Mama Chikya

Inca Paucar

Huaman Taysi Inca

Vicaquirau Inca a great warrior

Viracocha 8th Sapa Inca of Cusco (c. 1410–1438)

Mama Runtucaya

Ccuri-chulpa

Inca Rocca heir apparent

Tupac Yupanqui

Cusi Inca Yupanqui Pachacuti 9th Sapa Inca of Cusco 1st Emperor of Inca Empire (1438–1471)

Mama Anahuarqui

Ccapac Yupanqui

Inca Urco

Inca Socso

Tupac Ayar Manco

Apu Paucar

Tupac Inca Yupanqui 10th Sapa Inca of Cusco 2nd Emperor of Inca Empire (c. 1441 – c. 1493)

Mama Ocllo

Queen Kusi Rimay

Titu Cusi Hualpa Huayna Capac 11th Sapa Inca of Cusco 3rd Emperor of Inca Empire (c.1468–1524, probably of smallpox)

Rahua Ocllo

Auqui Tupac Inca d. 1524 w/his brother and nephew, prob. of smallpox

90 illegitimate sons and daughters, incl. Ccapac Huari, who tried to succeed his father

Ninan Cuyochi Crown Prince (1490–1527) d. w/his father and uncle, probably of smallpox

Thupaq Kusi Wallpa Huáscar (Waskar) 12th Sapa Inca of Cusco 4th Emperor of Inca Empire (1491–1532)

Chuqui Huipa

Atahualpa 13th Sapa Inca of Cusco 5th Emperor of Inca Empire (c. 1502 – 26 July 1533)

Coya Asarpay (died 1533)

Thupaq Wallpa 14th Sapa Inca of Cusco 6th Emperor of Inca Empire (installed by Pizarro 1533)

Manco Inca Yupanqui 15th Sapa Inca of Cusco 7th Emperor of Inca Empire 1st Ruler of Neo-Inca State (1533 – revolted 1536 – 1544)

Paullu Inca 16th Sapa Inca of Cusco 8th Emperor of Inca Empire (installed by Pizarro 1536–1549)

Atoc, Konono, Wanka Auqui, Kizu Yupanqui, Tito Atauchi, Waman Wallpa, Kusi Wallpa, Tilka Yupanqu, & +

Sayri Túpac 17th Sapa Inca 2nd Ruler of Neo-Inca State (c. 1535–1561)

Titu Cusi]] 18th Sapa Inca 2nd Ruler of Neo-Inca State (1529–1571)

Túpac Amaru 19th & last Sapa Inca 3rd Ruler of Neo-Inca State (1545 – 24 September 1572)

descendants, incl son Carlos Inca, his son Melchor Carlos Inca, and his son Juan Melchor Carlos Inca

See also[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inca emperors.

• Muisca Confederation
• Inca Empire

References[]