| Born | c. 1545 |
| Died | 1572 |
| Name | Túpac Amaru |
| Reign | 1571–1572 |
| Title | Sapa Inca (Last Emperor) |
| Known for | Leading determined resistance against Spanish colonization of the Andes, becoming a legendary figure of Inca nationalism and indigenous resilience |
| Spouse(s) | Beatriz Clara Coya |
| Successor | Francisco Tito Atauchi |
| Predecessor | Sayri Túpac |
| Cause of death | Executed by the Spanish |
| Place of death | Cusco, Viceroyalty of Peru |
Túpac Amaru (c. 1540 - 1572) was the last Sapa Inca, or emperor, of the Inca Empire. He is renowned for his leadership of the Inca resistance against the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, waging a decades-long guerrilla campaign from the remote Andean stronghold of Vilcabamba.
Túpac Amaru was a descendant of the Sapa Inca Manco Inca Yupanqui, who had established the independent Inca state in Vilcabamba after the initial Spanish conquest of the Inca capital of Cusco. When Manco was assassinated in 1545, his son Sayri Túpac became the next Sapa Inca, followed by Túpac Amaru in 1561.
Inheriting the mantle of Inca resistance, Túpac Amaru spent the next decade continuing the fight against the encroaching Spanish colonists. From Vilcabamba, he organized a series of guerrilla attacks, raids, and uprisings aimed at driving the Spanish out of the Andes and restoring Inca rule.
As Sapa Inca, Túpac Amaru worked to maintain the autonomy and cultural traditions of the Inca state in Vilcabamba. He patronized the arts, architecture, and religious practices of the Inca, seeking to preserve their legacy in the face of Spanish efforts at Christianization and cultural assimilation.
Túpac Amaru's court in Vilcabamba became a hub of Inca resistance and nationalist sentiment, attracting indigenous nobles, warriors, and scholars from throughout the former empire. From this base, he continued to wage a stubborn guerrilla war against the Spanish, who found it extremely difficult to subdue the remote, heavily-fortified city.
For over 40 years, Túpac Amaru and his forces inflicted significant losses on the Spanish colonists, frustrating their attempts to fully consolidate control over the Andes. He led daring raids and surprise attacks that decimated Spanish outposts and military expeditions sent to Vilcabamba.
Túpac Amaru's guerrilla tactics, combined with the city's inaccessible location, allowed the Inca resistance to persist long after the rest of the empire had fallen. This prolonged struggle became a rallying point for indigenous peoples across the region, cementing Túpac Amaru's reputation as a heroic, defiant figure.
Despite his tenacious defense of Vilcabamba, Túpac Amaru was ultimately betrayed and captured by the Spanish in 1572. After a show trial, he was brutally executed, with the Spanish seeking to crush the last vestiges of Inca independence.
Túpac Amaru's death marked the final end of the Inca Empire, but his legacy as a symbol of indigenous resistance lived on. He became a iconic martyr, inspiring future uprisings and nationalist movements among the Quechua and other Andean peoples subjected to Spanish colonial rule.
Túpac Amaru's epic struggle against the Spanish conquest cemented his place as a legendary figure in Inca and indigenous history. He is revered as the last defender of Inca sovereignty and a stalwart champion of Quechua culture and self-determination.
Even centuries later, Túpac Amaru remains an enduring symbol of indigenous resilience in the face of colonial oppression. His defiant stand against the Spanish has made him a hero to oppressed peoples around the world, inspiring revolutionary movements and uprisings against colonial and imperial powers.
Today, Túpac Amaru's legacy is celebrated throughout the Andes, where he is honored as a martyr and a visionary who fought to preserve the Inca way of life. His story continues to captivate scholars, artists, and the public, ensuring that the last Sapa Inca's struggle for Inca independence will never be forgotten.
