| Name | Túpac Amaru I |
| Reign | 1545 - 1572 |
| Title | Sapa Inca (last emperor of the Inca Empire) |
| Legacy | Inspiring future uprisings like the Túpac Amaru Rebellion of 1780-1781; revered figure in Inca and Quechua culture |
| Known for | Leading a major rebellion against Spanish colonial rule that nearly overthrew the Viceroyalty of Peru |
| Cause of death | Brutally suppressed by the Spanish after the rebellion |
Túpac Amaru I was the last Sapa Inca (emperor) of the Inca Empire, reigning from 1545 until his death in 1572. Unlike in our timeline where he was executed in 1572, Túpac Amaru I led a major rebellion against Spanish colonial rule that nearly succeeded in overthrowing the Viceroyalty of Peru. His legacy as a champion of indigenous rights and resistance inspired future uprisings, including the famous Túpac Amaru Rebellion of 1780-1781.
Túpac Amaru I was born around 1545 as Julián Apaza, the son of the Inca noble Manco Cápac II and a Quechua noblewoman. After the death of his father in 1544, Apaza assumed the title of Sapa Inca and became the rightful ruler of the Inca Empire, which at the time existed as a client kingdom under the authority of the Spanish crown.
Despite the Inca Empire's conquest by Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s, the Sapa Inca and his nobles maintained a degree of autonomy and influence within the Viceroyalty of Peru. Túpac Amaru I sought to leverage this position to resist the growing encroachment of Spanish colonial power and exploitation of the Inca people.
In 1565, Túpac Amaru I launched a major uprising against the Viceroy of Peru and the Spanish colonial administrators. Tapping into the legacy and symbolism of the Inca Empire, he rallied thousands of Quechua-speaking peasants, artisans, and nobles to his cause.
The rebel forces quickly captured the Inca capital of Cusco and much of the southern Andes, cutting off communications and supply lines to the colonial capital of Lima. For several years, Túpac Amaru I's armies battled the Spanish colonial troops and their indigenous allies, nearly succeeding in toppling the Viceroyalty entirely.
Alarmed by the scale and success of the rebellion, the Viceroy of Peru eventually mobilized a large contingent of Spanish colonial troops accompanied by Inca nobles still loyal to the crown. After years of bloody warfare, Túpac Amaru I was finally captured in 1572.
Rather than executing him immediately, the Spanish authorities put Túpac Amaru I on public trial, seeking to discredit his legitimacy and cause. However, the Inca emperor refused to renounce his claim to the Sapa Inca title or ask for mercy.
In a brutal public spectacle, Túpac Amaru I was then tortured and executed, his body dismembered and displayed as a warning to other potential indigenous rebels. This act of colonial violence, however, only further cemented Túpac Amaru I's status as a martyr and folk hero among the Inca peoples.
Despite the ultimate failure of his rebellion, Túpac Amaru I's legacy as a champion of Inca rights and self-determination lived on. His story became a powerful symbol of indigenous resistance against Spanish colonial rule, inspiring future uprisings across the Andes.
The Túpac Amaru Rebellion of 1780-1781, led by a descendant who took the Inca emperor's name, was directly inspired by Túpac Amaru I's example. This later uprising nearly succeeded in toppling the Viceroyalty of Peru before being crushed by colonial forces.
To this day, Túpac Amaru I remains a revered figure in Inca and Quechua culture, seen as the last true Sapa Inca who fought to preserve the autonomy and legacy of the Inca Empire. His image and story continue to appear in art, literature, and political movements advocating for indigenous rights throughout the Andean region.
The failure of the Spanish to fully extinguish the Inca imperial line and its political influence also had lasting consequences. It contributed to ongoing tensions and occasional uprisings that shaped the development of the Viceroyalty of Peru and the eventual emergence of an independent Peru as a major Andean power.
