| Fate | Ultimately defeated and executed by the Spanish |
| Name | Felipe Túpac Amaru De Castro Yupanqui |
| Claim | Proclaimed himself the legitimate Emperor of the Inca |
| Lived | 1530s - 1572 |
| Title | Inca Noble and Revolutionary Leader |
| Legacy | Became a legendary figure in the history of indigenous resistance to colonialism in the Americas |
| Kingdom | Established the short-lived independent state known as the Kingdom of Tawantinsuyu |
| Ancestry | Descended from the Sapa Inca dynasty |
| Rebellion | Led a major uprising against Spanish colonial rule in the Andes during the 1560s |
Felipe Túpac Amaru De Castro Yupanqui was an Inca nobleman and revolutionary leader who led a major indigenous uprising against the Spanish Empire in the 1560s. Descended from the Sapa Inca dynasty, Yupanqui proclaimed himself the legitimate Emperor of the Inca and established a short-lived independent state known as the Kingdom of Tawantinsuyu before being defeated and executed.
Yupanqui was born in 1545 in the city of Cusco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. He was the son of Túpac Huallpa, the last undisputed Sapa Inca before the Spanish conquest in 1536. After his father's death, Yupanqui's family was forced to accept Spanish rule and assimilate into the colonial system.
Yupanqui's mother was Juana de Castro Yupanqui, a noblewoman of Inca descent. Through his mother's lineage, Yupanqui held a strong claim to the title of Sapa Inca, the absolute monarch of the Inca Empire. This heritage would become crucial to his future actions.
In the 1560s, as resentment towards Spanish colonial occupation grew among the indigenous Andean population, Yupanqui emerged as a leader of the Inca resistance. Drawing on his noble status and family connections, he began organizing a network of Inca nobles, rebellious commoners, and disaffected Spanish colonists to overthrow the colonial government.
In 1563, Yupanqui openly declared himself the rightful Emperor of the Inca and established the independent "Kingdom of Tawantinsuyu" in the Andes. He promptly began raising an army to drive out the Spanish from the region. Over the next two years, Yupanqui's forces won several key victories, capturing major cities like Arequipa and advancing to the outskirts of Lima, the colonial capital.
The success of the Inca rebellion alarmed the Spanish colonial authorities, who mobilized a large army under the command of Viceroy Francisco de Toledo to crush Yupanqui's uprising. In 1567, the two armies met in a decisive battle near the city of Ayacucho. Though the Inca forces fought bravely, they were ultimately overwhelmed by the Spanish artillery and military discipline.
Yupanqui was captured following the battle and put on trial in Lima on charges of treason and heresy. Despite pleas for mercy, he was convicted and sentenced to be publicly executed. On September 24, 1571, the 26-year-old Inca emperor was hanged in the central square of Lima, bringing an abrupt end to the Kingdom of Tawantinsuyu.
Yupanqui's rebellion and ultimate martyrdom made him a legendary figure in the history of indigenous resistance against European colonialism in the Americas. He became a symbol of Inca pride and self-determination, inspiring later uprisings such as the Túpac Amaru II rebellion in the 18th century.
Though the Kingdom of Tawantinsuyu was short-lived, Yupanqui's revolt permanently weakened Spanish control over the Andes and made the prospect of a full Inca restoration much more difficult. His execution also cemented the absolute power of the colonial regime, as no Inca noble would again openly challenge Spanish rule for nearly 200 years.
Today, Felipe Túpac Amaru De Castro Yupanqui is honored as a hero and martyr by many indigenous rights movements across the Andes, and his legacy continues to loom large over the history of colonial Latin America.
