Siege of Cusco
Cusco and the Sacsayhuamán fortress, Cusco Region, Peru
What happened
Inca forces led by Manco Inca Yupanqui besieged a Spanish garrison under Hernando and Juan Pizarro, who were supported by several thousand Indigenous allies. A few years after the Spanish conquest, Manco Inca rose up to restore the Inca Empire. His army seized the great stone fortress of Sacsayhuamán above Cusco and surrounded the city. The Spanish and their allies recaptured the fortress after about a week, and the siege dragged on for ten months until Manco withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the largest attempt by the Incas to drive out the Spanish. Although it failed, Manco set up an independent Inca state in the mountains at Vilcabamba.
What came next
Manco retreated to Ollantaytambo and then to Vilcabamba, where he founded the Neo-Inca State. Soon after, the Spanish conquerors began fighting among themselves.
Did you know?
The Incas used bolas, weighted cords thrown from the hills, to trip the Spanish horses.
Timeline
- 1532Spanish conquistadors capture the Inca emperor at Cajamarca.
- 6 May 1536Manco Inca's army attacks Cusco.
- May 1536The Spanish recapture Sacsayhuamán.
- March 1537Manco lifts the siege and withdraws.
- 1983The City of Cuzco becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site.