THREE
Although pacific by nature, the Incas built up their vast empire by conquest. Not one reign lacked great military campaigns, and in all of them the necessity of introducing the worship of the Sun gave rulers a pretext as plausible as the followers of Mahomet had for their great wars. Wherever it was possible, peaceful methods were employed. Persuasion, diplomacy and bribery were all tried; if these were unsuccessful, war was declared, but only after the failure of all the arts used in the acquisition of an empire by the most subtle politicians of a civilized land.
Immediately on the declaration of war, mobilization took place with extreme rapidity, for the Incas aimed early to secure such an obvious strategical advantage that their enemies would wisely surrender without a struggle. This was made possible by the remarkable series of roads constructed throughout the empire. In times of peace these served as post roads, which enabled the Incas to have surprisingly rapid intercommunication. At convenient places storehouses were located. These were always kept completely equipped, so that the mobilization of the Inca armies, which sometimes totaled 200,000 men, provided the minimum of inconvenience for the civilian population.
Contrary to the customs of some of our supposedly civilized modern nations, the Incas forbade their soldiers engaging in any unnecessary outrages, and punished such infractions of the law very severely. Even after the war had commenced, the Incas were always ready at any time to bring about peace. At the conclusion of hostilities they adopted the policy of the Romans, gaining more by clemency to the vanquished than by their victories.
As soon as the reduction of a country had been brought about, measures were taken to insure the loyalty of those newly conquered. The first step was the introduction of the worship of the Sun. No disrespect was shown to the local gods, but an acceptance of the priority of the Sun was always enforced. Often-times the peoples’ own gods were treated as hostages and removed to Cuzco. The Inca system of government was, of course, always imposed. Land was cultivated according to the well-regulated schemes of the Incas, which included fertilization, crop rotation, and careful supervision to see that the desired amount of acreage was devoted to each product. The Quichua language was enforced. The new members of the empire were assigned their particular style of clothing and hair-dressing. Roads were built to all parts of the new territories and absolute amalgamation was eventually secured.
In some instances, where the loyalty of the conquered was doubtful, a portion of them were removed, bag and baggage, to some locality where they would be surrounded by inhabitants of whose loyalty there was no question. Some of the latter were then sent to occupy the lands of the exiles.
Through successive reigns the same policy was continued. Each Inca took up the work where his predecessor had been compelled to leave it, and tried to do his share in advancing the boundaries of the empire. Each Inca’s life was a “crusade against the infidel to spread the worship of the Sun, to reclaim the benighted nations from their brutish superstitions, and to impart to them the blessings of a well-regulated government.”
PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 6, No 3, SERIAL No. 151
COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, INC.