Pizarro first traveled to the Americas in the early sixteenth century. He participated in expeditions to the Gulf of Urabá and later joined Vasco Núñez de Balboa on the famous crossing of the Isthmus of Panama. In 1513, they became the first Europeans to view the Pacific Ocean from the American continent. Pizarro later served as mayor of the newly established Panama City, gaining valuable administrative and military experience.
Driven by reports of a wealthy kingdom to the south, Pizarro organized expeditions to explore the region that would later be known as Peru. His first two attempts were unsuccessful and marked by hardship and limited resources. However, his persistence paid off. In 1529, he received authorization from the Spanish Crown to conquer the territory and launched a third expedition that would change history.
When Pizarro arrived in Peru, the Inca Empire was weakened by a devastating civil war between two brothers, Atahualpa and Huáscar. Recognizing this opportunity, Pizarro advanced inland with a relatively small force. On November 16, 1532, he carried out a surprise attack in the city of Cajamarca. During the ambush, thousands of Inca attendants were killed, and Emperor Atahualpa was captured.
Although Atahualpa offered a massive ransom of gold and silver for his freedom, Pizarro ultimately ordered his execution. On July 26, 1533, the emperor was put to death by garroting. The loss of the empire’s ruler severely weakened centralized authority and resistance. Later that year, on November 14–15, Pizarro entered the Inca capital of Cusco and installed Manco Inca as a puppet ruler under Spanish control.
To strengthen Spanish administration, Pizarro founded the city of Lima on January 18, 1535. Located on the coast, Lima became the political and economic center of Spanish Peru and remains Peru’s capital today. For the remainder of his life, Pizarro focused on consolidating Spanish rule and expanding colonial institutions.
However, tensions among the conquerors soon erupted. A bitter rivalry developed between Pizarro and his former partner, Diego de Almagro, over control of conquered territories and wealth. The conflict culminated in Pizarro’s assassination on June 26, 1541, when supporters of Almagro attacked and killed him in his palace in Lima.
Pizarro’s conquest of Peru marked a turning point in world history. It helped establish Spain’s vast American empire and contributed to the flow of immense wealth that transformed the Atlantic world. At the same time, it led to the collapse of the Inca Empire and brought profound cultural, political, and demographic changes to the indigenous peoples of the Andes. Today, Pizarro remains a complex historical figure whose legacy continues to inspire both admiration and debate.
Francisco Pizarro and the Conquest of the Inca Empire
