The Conquest of the Incas

This rendition of the Inca Conquest is truly a joy to read. The narrative is easy to follow and displays authoritative scholarship. Outside of the original Chronicles the author, John Hemming, poured his heart and research to allow us a window into the Inca Empire and the Quechua culture and people.

The Incas and the conquest of Peru are two of the most interesting stories in latin American history. This book captures the whole of that story and in wonderful detail relates the invasion of Pizzaro and the fall of the Incas. From Manco Inca to Tuti Cosi the Inca rebellions raged against Spanish occupation and eventually resulted in the free Inca state of Villacamba. In the end this state was doomed to fall to Spanish greed but the attempts at the Incas to preserve sovereignty is impressive. The writing style is excellent and the book is a very quick read. If you want to get a start on learning about the Inca's there is not a better book out there. If you are starting a study of South America as a whole this is an essential addition to that library. Highly recommend.

"Conquest of the Incas" is almost unquestionably the best book ever written about the 16th century Spanish conquest of the Inca empire in Peru and neighboring countries. It replaces Prescott's famous "Conquest of Peru," a brilliant piece of research and writing but one compiled at a Boston desk from archival materials. Hemming has much more personal familiarity with the subject and a much greater range of sources to draw on. How it was that conquistador Francisco Pizarro and less than 200 men were able to overthrow the Inca empire of 15 million subjects is one of the great tales of history. "Conquest" details that struggle for power in convincing and fascinating detail, focusing on Pizarro and his brothers who were all brutal, deceitful, and courageous. Hemming gives almost equal time to the Incas and their leaders as they struggle against or accommodate themselves to Spanish rule. (As will be evident to contemporary visitors to Cuzco and Andean Peru, the Spanish conquest never penetrated very deeply. The Inca culture and language still live; Pizarro is despised by most Peruvians and the last Inca, Tupac Amaru, is a national hero.) The story of the conquest has been romanticized in the classic play "Royal Hunt of the Sun" which is well worth seeing for its portraits of Pizarro and the Inca emperor Atahualpa. But the capture and murder of Atahualpa is only the beginning of the story. What followed was a 40 year struggle between Inca and Spaniard (and among Spaniards) for control of Peru that ended with the beheading of Tupac Amaru. The last chapter of the book moves into modern times as it describes the search for the lost Inca province of Vilcabamba and the discovery of Machu Pichu in the early 20th century. The mystery of the last Incas and their jungle retreats has fascinated writers and achaelogists until the present day -- as has the Inca empire, perhaps the most enigmatic of history. "Conquest of the Incas" was published in 1970. Were it to be revised today more emphasis would probably be placed on the role of smallpox epidemics that disrupted the Inca empire and made it ripe for conquest. But that's about the only deficiency I find in the book. It's one of the best histories ever written -- so good that it has found few imitators. Smallchief

I've spent quite a bit of time in Peru over the past few years and this is perhaps the most enlightening and informative book on the country that I've read. The conquest of the Incas is perhaps the most defining moment in the history of South America and remains so today. John Hemming, through an exciting narrative, carries the reader through the entire process of the conquest. Most of the time spent reading this book I couldn't wait to get to the next page, almost completely lost in the story. Most notably, one feels for both the Incans and the Spanish groups, neither if which are given preferential treatment. For anyone interested in South American history, Peru, the Incan society, or just looking for a good read I would highly recommend this book.

This is a readable and authoritative account of Pizarro's conquest of Peru and search for El Dorado in the 1530's: a must-read backgrounder for those who plan a trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu and an astounding account of war strategies and incredible upsets in a hostile mountain terrain between unequal forces with vastly different technologies. It gives real understanding into present-day relationships between the Spanish and native peoples in South America. I couldn't put it down.

I will be visting Peru next month and decided to read this book after the Lonely Planet guide to Peru mentioned Hemmings work as the definitive account of the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire. I finished this fine book and will be going to Cuzco, the former capital of the Incas, with much more enthusiam and interest than can be acquired reading a library full of guide books. What could be more interesting than this true story: Francisco Pizzaro lands on the coast of Peru in the early 1500s. Cortez has just taken Mexico. A powerful Inca emperor has died and a civil war has ensued among his sons. A winner, Atahulpa, is starting to emerge but the war is far from over. Atahalpa thinks very little of the accounts of these strange men, Europeans, who ask for a meeting. Pizzaro arranges a meeting and Atahalpa decends from the hills, carried on a litter, with thousands of warriors. The two meet, and Pizzaro and his handful of Spainards are able to capture the Inca and slaughter hundreds of astonished Indians! The account of the conquest that follows is so incredibly interesting and balanced that it would be hard to imagine an invented work of fiction being more enthralling. Hemming gives a fascinating description of the Inca society and of the conquistadors and missionaries. The Incas did not go down without a protracted fight and Hemming describes these wars in detail with first rate scholarship and complete balance. This book is written like Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore, a description of the founding of Australia. Anyone who is interested in history, adventure, geography, and sociology could do no better than read either of these fine books.