An Inca Account of the Conquest of Peru

I greatly enjoyed this translation and the detailed footnotes.The account by Titu Cusi, as a Christian king reaching out to another Christian king (who was also the "Holy" Roman Emperor), is poignant. He seeks to explain his people's political and cultural struggle with emissaries of Spain that had not lived up to the expectations of civilized warfare or conduct. The insight into how a "second-generation" convert dealt with his own people's past and how that fit into his vision of the Spanish Kingdom is fascinating. There is tragedy and hope in the account, in equal measure.It is perhaps unsurprising that Titu Cusi' efforts were, ultimately, in vain. His kingdom did fall. And te King of Spain may never have even read Titu Cusi's account. The Incan ruler saw both the power and the weakness of religion. recognizing that pure physical power could no longer secure an indpedent role for the Incans, he mounted a legalistic defense of his perogatives and relied on the rhetoric of Christianity to seek a just resolution (from his point of view anyway). Even though the economics and politics of Conquest did not favor him, the attempt was noble.It was somewhat like reading the losing brief in a Supreme Court case.Almost simultaneously I was reading a bilingual edition edited by Catherine Julien, which was also published at about the same time. It is ironic that Mr. Bauer's extremely high quality translation would come out so near in time to Ms. Julien's. They are both excellent books. If you have the opporutnity to buy both, I would recommend you do so, because they can be read together and the editorial comments then seem almost like a conversation between two scholars that you get to listen in on.

This autobiography of a fictional high placed and well-connected Inca administrator catched my attention from the very beginning. It's a mostly well-researched novel, with a realistic, fast-paced and terse narrative. We get acquainted with many imperial institutions and the intricacies of the running of the empire by the Inca elite, even of the use of a language written with cords and knots, a rather debated issue as the author dutyfully acknowledges. The journey to and prolonged stay of the narrator in the southern part of the Tawantinsuyo is sketchy, it seems as if the only thing the author knows of the Collasuyo is pretty much that the Maule river is its Southern limit. Then a sudden journey made to the Antisuyo, the eastern jungles, it utterly improbable in its justification and reads like a Tintin comic. Our hero really did not need to be sent to all corners of the empire, his many adventures and vissicitudes in central Peru are enough fascinating. The author could have made more of the gradual approach of the Spanish conquistadores, but when the final drama unfolds the narrative commands one's attention; then the end comes with an unexpected situation and is very successfull. Very useful appendix with critical remarks, those interested in fiction dealing with the Inca will surely enjoy this book.

It's amazing that the Western Hemisphere has seen the destruction or near destruction of so many civilizations in so (relatively) short a time span, and yet so few people in the Americas know or even care to know what happened. This book is a great primary source account of what could only be described as the end of one era and the beginning of another for Indigenous South Americans. It includes a timeline of events, several historic [albeit not entirely accurate] maps and engravings from the time period, and most importantly, the words of an Indigenous account. Words and phrases specific to the original language are given additional clarification by the translator.Ultimately, much remains unknown about the Inca. But what we will discover of them in the future relies entirely on what they left us 500 years ago, and what Spanish conquistadors, grave robbers, and time have left undamaged. We should consider this account and anything else that survives that gauntlet of destruction a treasure.A great reference for personal or academic use. Glad it's available.

Finally a tpouch of reality from someone who truely should know rather some second/third hand europeaan someone that wants to teell the conquers view. victor

Great service. Would use again

as advertised

Very readable. Good to read the story of the conquest in the words of the Incas after researching only the Spaniard's accounts.