The old and the new Peru

by Marie Robinson Wright

THE DEATH OF ATAHUALLPA. FROM A PAINTING BY THE PERUVIAN ARTIST LUIS MONTERO.

CHAPTER V
THE CONQUEST OF PERU

COAT-OF-ARMS OF PIZARRO GRANTED BY CHARLES V. IN HONOR OF THE DISCOVERY OF PERU.

The Conquest of Peru was not undertaken without a solemn appeal to heaven, a ceremony which formed the prelude to all enterprises in those days, of whatever character or purpose. Mass was performed by the ecclesiastic, Vicente de Valverde, a Dominican friar, who had accompanied the expedition, and whose share in the events of the memorable day upon which they were now entering is only to be excused on the score of over-passionate zeal. During the religious service, the priest and his assistants invoked the divine aid in behalf of the soldiers of the Cross who were fighting to establish the Christian faith; and Exsurge, Domine was chanted with all the enthusiasm that the most devoted band of Crusaders would have shown on the eve of a battle with the Moors; the heritage of blood is strong, and in the exaltation of that moment, it is certain that the baser motives of the premeditated onslaught were submerged under a tide of religious emotions. But it is doubtful whether Pizarro allowed the religious side of the campaign to occupy his mind any further than was required by the temperament and spirit of his followers; he knew his men, and governed them through their strongest impulses, which he could control only by apparent sympathy.

Nothing was left undone in the preparations for capturing the Inca. Cavalry and infantry were stationed in great halls or barracks that opened on to the plaza through wide doors, which were to remain closed until a given signal. The confusing effect of a sudden surprise and unaccustomed sights and sounds had been carefully studied by Pizarro, who had two small pieces of ordnance placed in the fortress, and all the horses adorned with bells on their breastplates. It was understood that on the firing of the first gun, the whole army should rush into the plaza with their battle-cry: “Santiago, and at them!” and, after overpowering and killing the Inca’s guard, they were to capture the emperor himself and carry him to Pizarro’s quarters.

As if to further the treacherous plan of Pizarro, the Inca sent his ambassador to say that he would leave the greater part of his army behind and would enter Cajamarca without arms. A little before sunset the royal procession began to enter the gates of the city. First came the army of menials who were employed to clear the pathway of all obstacles, as was always done in the royal progresses which the Inca was accustomed to make throughout his kingdom; following these came the heralds announcing the approach of their sovereign, the nobles and princes of the blood royal, and lastly the Inca, surrounded by his bodyguard and a few of his soldiers, all unarmed. The royal palanquin was lined with the rich plumes of tropical birds and studded with plates of gold and silver; the monarch, seated on a throne of solid gold, was magnificently attired, and wore a collar of very large and brilliant emeralds.

As the great procession entered the plaza of Cajamarca and divided into two ranks to allow the royal retinue to pass between, the Inca observed that not a Spaniard was to be seen, and inquired what had become of them. At this moment Father Valverde stepped into the square, with a crucifix in one hand and a Bible in the other, and approaching the Inca, told him that he was there by order of his commander to expound to him the true faith, for which purpose the Spaniards had come to his country. He then explained to Atahuallpa the basis of the Christian faith, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the origin of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, telling him that the pope had given the Spanish sovereign the right to conquer and convert the natives of the western hemisphere, and that Pizarro had arrived to carry out this mission; he concluded by beseeching the Inca to embrace Christianity and acknowledge himself a vassal of the Emperor Charles V., who would, in that case, aid and protect him. Atahuallpa listened to Valverde’s harangue as interpreted by Felipillo, at first showing only curiosity, then scorn and, finally, fierce indignation, as the import of its meaning dawned upon him. His brow darkened with anger when he learned that he was asked to become the vassal of another, and he exclaimed: “I am the greatest prince on earth, and will be vassal to none; as for the Pope of whom you speak, he cannot give away countries which do not belong to him; and as your God was put to death by the human beings he created, I will not have him in exchange for mine, who lives there in the heavens and watches over his children! Where did you learn these things?” Valverde handed him the Bible, which the monarch looked at as nothing to be admired, either in material or appearance; he threw it on the ground in disgust, and told the priest to inform his companions that they would be called to account for all the evil they had done in his dominions.

The Inca was about to give a royal command to his messengers, when Valverde, scandalized by the heathen’s contempt for the sacred volume, and realizing that the effort to convert Atahuallpa had resulted only in incensing the Inca so that the lives of the Spaniards were in imminent danger, called out to Pizarro to “waste no more breath on the heathen reprobate,” exclaiming with all the fervor of the frenzied fanatic: Salid á él—que yo os absuelvo! “Take him,—I absolve you all!”