Túpac Amaru II (José Gabriel Túpac Amaru b. March 19, 1742 in
TintaTinta District is one of eight districts of the Canchis Province in Peru.-References:...
,
CuscoCusco is a region in Peru. It is bordered by the Ucayali Region on the north; the Madre de Dios and Puno regions on the east; the Arequipa Region on the south; and the Apurímac, Ayacucho and Junín regions on the west...
,
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
– executed in Cusco May 18, 1781) was the leader of an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the
Spanish occupation of PeruAfter years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 182 Spanish soldiers under Francisco Pizarro and their native allies attacked and defeated the army of the Inca Empire and captured its emperor in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca...
. Although unsuccessful, he later became a mythical figure in the
Peruvian struggle for independenceThe Peruvian War of Independence was a series of military conflicts beginning in 1809 that culminated in the proclamation of the independence of Peru by José de San Martín on July 28, 1821. During the previous decade Peru had been a stronghold for royalists, who fought those in favor of...
and indigenous rights movement and an inspiration to a myriad of causes in
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
. He should not be confused with
Túpac KatariTúpac Katari , born Julián Apasa Nina, was a leader in the rebellions of indigenous people in Bolivia in the early 1780s....
who led a similar uprising in the region now called
BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
at the same time.
Tupac Amaru II was born
José Gabriel Condorcanqui in Tinta, in the province of Cuzco, and received a Jesuit education at the
San Francisco de Borja School, although he maintained a strong identification with the indian population.
Túpac Amaru II (José Gabriel Túpac Amaru b. March 19, 1742 in
TintaTinta District is one of eight districts of the Canchis Province in Peru.-References:...
,
CuscoCusco is a region in Peru. It is bordered by the Ucayali Region on the north; the Madre de Dios and Puno regions on the east; the Arequipa Region on the south; and the Apurímac, Ayacucho and Junín regions on the west...
,
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
– executed in Cusco May 18, 1781) was the leader of an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the
Spanish occupation of PeruAfter years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 182 Spanish soldiers under Francisco Pizarro and their native allies attacked and defeated the army of the Inca Empire and captured its emperor in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca...
. Although unsuccessful, he later became a mythical figure in the
Peruvian struggle for independenceThe Peruvian War of Independence was a series of military conflicts beginning in 1809 that culminated in the proclamation of the independence of Peru by José de San Martín on July 28, 1821. During the previous decade Peru had been a stronghold for royalists, who fought those in favor of...
and indigenous rights movement and an inspiration to a myriad of causes in
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
. He should not be confused with
Túpac KatariTúpac Katari , born Julián Apasa Nina, was a leader in the rebellions of indigenous people in Bolivia in the early 1780s....
who led a similar uprising in the region now called
BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
at the same time.
Biography
Tupac Amaru II was born
José Gabriel Condorcanqui in Tinta, in the province of Cuzco, and received a Jesuit education at the
San Francisco de Borja School, although he maintained a strong identification with the indian population. He was a
mestizoMestizo is a Spanish and Portuguese term that was used in the Spanish Empire and Portuguese Empire to refer to Latin people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in the Americas....
who, through his father's side, was a direct descendent of the last
IncaThe Inca civilization began as a tribe in the Cuzco area, where the legendary first Sapa Inca, Manco Capac founded the Kingdom of Cuzco around 1200. Under the leadership of the descendants of Manco Capac, the Inca state grew to absorb other Andean communities. In 1442, the Incas began a...
n ruler
Túpac AmaruTúpac Amaru , was the last indigenous leader of the Inca state in Peru.-Accession:Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 1530s, a few members of the royal family established a small independent state in Vilcabamba, in the relatively inaccessible Upper Amazon to the northeast of...
. He had been honored by the Spanish authorities of Peru with the title of Marquis of Oropesa, a position that allowed him some voice and political leverage during Spanish rule. Between 1741 and 1780 Amaru II went into litigation with the Betancur family over the right of succesion of the Marquisate of Oropesa and lost the case. In 1760, he married Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua of
Afro-PeruvianAfro Peruvians are citizens of Peru descended from African and Malagasy slaves who were brought to the New World with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.-Early history:...
and Indigenous descent. Condorcanqui inherited the caciqueship, or hereditary chiefdom of Tungasuca and Pampamarca from his older brother, governing on behalf of the Spanish governor.
The Corregidores and the Exploitation of the Natives
While the Spanish trusteeship labor system, or
encomiendaThe encomienda is a trusteeship labor system that was employed by the Spanish crown during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the Philippines. In the encomienda, the crown granted a person a specified number of natives for whom they were to take responsibility. The receiver of the grant...
had been abolished in 1720, most Indians at the time living in the Andean region of what is now Peru,
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
and Bolivia, who made up nine tenths of the population at the time, were still pushed into forced labor for what was legally labeled as public work projects. However, most natives worked under the supervision of a master either tilling soil, mining or working in textile mills. What little wage that was acquired by workers was heavily taxed and cemented Indian indebtedness to Spanish masters. The Catholic Church also had a hand in extorting these natives through collections for saints, masses for the dead, domestic and parochial work on certain days, forced gifts, etc. Those fortunate enough not to be subjugated to forced labor were subject to the Spanish provincial governors, or
corregidores who also heavily taxed any free natives, similarly ensuring their financial instability.
Condorcanqui interest in the Indian cause had been spurred by the re-reading of one the
Royal Commentaries of the Incas, a romantic and heroic account of the history and culture of the ancient Incas. The book was outlawed at the time by the Lima viceroy for fear of it inspiring renewed interest in the lost Inca culture and inciting rebellion. The marquis' native pride coupled with his hate for the oppressors of his people, caused José Gabriel to sympathize and frequently petition for the improvement of Indian labor in the mills, farms and mines; even using his own wealth to help alleviate the taxes and burdens of the natives. After many of his requests for the alleviation of the native Indian’s condtions fell to deaf ears, Condorcanqui decided to organize a rebellion. He began to stall on collecting reparto debts and tribute payments, for which the Tintan corregidor and governor Antonio de Arriaga threatened him with death. Feeling that his time was ripe, Condorcanqui changed his name to Tupac Amaru II and declared his lineage to the last Incan ruler Felipe Tupac Amaru.
Tupac Amaru II's Rebellion
Túpac Amaru II's rebellion-Overview:The rebellion of Túpac Amaru II was an uprising of Incan peasants against the Bourbon reforms in Peru....
was one of many indigenous Peruvian uprisings in the latter half of the 18th century, and its birth was marked by the capturing and killing of Tintan
corregidor and governor Antonio de Arriaga on November 4, 1780. The event unfolded after both Tupac Amaru II and the governor Arriaga attended a banquet hosted by a priest. When governor Arriaga left the party in a drunken state, Tupac Amaru II and several of his allies captured him and forced him to write letters to a large number of Hispanics and curacas. When about 200 of them gathered within the next few days, Tupac Amaru II surrounded them with approximately 4000 Indians. Claiming that he was acting under direct Spanish royal orders, Amaru II gave Arriaga’s slave Antonio Oblitas the privilege of executing him. A platform in the middle of a local town plaza was erected, and the initial attempt at hanging the corregidor failed after the noose had snapped. He then ran for his life to try and reach a nearby church, but was not quick enough to escape being successfully hanged at the second attempt.
After the execution of the corregidor, Amaru II began his insurrection. He organized an army of six thousand Indians who had abandoned their work to join the revolt. As they marched towards Cuzco, the rebels occupied the provinces of
QuispicanchisQuispicanchi Province is one of thirteen provinces in the Cusco Region in the southern highlands of Peru.-Boundaries:* North: Paucartambo Province and Madre de Dios Region* East: Puno Region* South: Canchis Province...
, Tinta,
CotabambasThe Cotabambas Province is a province located in the Apurímac Region of Peru.-Boundaries:*North: Cusco Region*East: Cusco Region*South: Cusco Region*West: Abancay Province, Grau Province, Antabamba Province.-Political division:...
,
CalcaCalca Province is one of thirteen provinces in the Cusco Region in the southern highlands of Peru.-Political division:The province is divided into eight districts , each of which is headed by a mayor...
, and
ChumbivilcasThe province of Chumbivilcas is situated in the Andes in South Peru. The Inca called it "Chumpiwillka" .- Rivers :The most important rivers of the area are Rio Velille and Rio Santo Tomás, both springs of Apurímac River.-Population :...
. After years of living under oppression, the rebels looted the Hispanic houses and killed their Spanish oppressors..
In November 18, 1780, Cuzco dispatched over 1,300 Hispanic and Indian loyalist troops. The two opposing forces clashed in the town of Sangarara. (This battle would be recorded later as the
Battle of SangararaThe Battle of Sangarará was fought on November 18, 1780 in Sangarará, Peru between rebel forces under Túpac Amaru II and Spanish colonial forces under Tiburcio Landa. Túpac Amaru II's forces won decisively.-Background:...
.) It was an absolute victory for Amaru II and his native Indian rebels; all of the 578 Hispanic soldiers were killed and the rebels took possession of their weapons and supplies. The victory however, also came with a price. The battle revealed that Amaru II was unable to fully control his rebel followers, as they viciously slaughtered without direct orders. Reports of such violence and the rebels' insistence on the death of Hispanics eliminated any chances for a support by the Creole class.
The victory achieved at Sangarara would be followed by a string of defeats. The most critical defeat came in Amaru II’s failure to capture Cuzco, which was fortified by a combined troop of loyalist Indians and reinforcements from
LimaLima is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, on a coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It forms a contiguous urban area with the seaport of Callao...
. After subsequent skirmishes around the surrounding region, Amaru II and his rebels became surrounded between Tinta and Sangarara. A betrayal by two of his officers, colonel Ventura Landaeta and captain Francisco Cruz, sealed Amaru II’s defeat and capture.
Amaru II was sentenced to a cruel execution. He was forced to bear witness to the execution of his wife, his eldest son Hipólito, his uncle Francisco, his brother-in-law Antonio Bastidas, and some of his captains before his own death. He was sentenced to be tortured and beheaded.
Preceding his own beheading, Túpac Amaru II had his tongue cut out and his limbs tied to four horses. Tupac Amaru was to strong to be killed. So the only way to kill him was to chop off his head. (as part of a failed attempt to quarter him) on the main plaza in Cuzco, in the same place his great-great-great-grandfather the last Inca
Tupac AmaruTúpac Amaru , was the last indigenous leader of the Inca state in Peru.-Accession:Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 1530s, a few members of the royal family established a small independent state in Vilcabamba, in the relatively inaccessible Upper Amazon to the northeast of...
had been beheaded. When the revolt continued, the Spaniards executed the remainder of his family, except his 12-year-old son Fernando, who had been condemned to die with him, but was instead imprisoned in Spain for the rest of his life. It is not known if any members of the Inca royal family survived this final purge. Amaru's body parts were strewn across the towns loyal to him, his houses were demolished, their sites strewn with salt, his goods confiscated, his relatives declared infamous, and all documents relating to his descent burnt. At the same time, on May 18, 1781, Incan clothing and cultural traditions, and self-identification as "Inca" were outlawed, along with other measures to convert the population to Spanish culture and government until Peru's independence as a republic. However, even after the death of Amaru, Indian revolt still overtook much of Southern Peru , Bolivia and Argentina, as Indian revolutionaries captured Spanish towns and beheaded many inhabitants. In one instance, an Indian army under rebel leader
Túpac KatariTúpac Katari , born Julián Apasa Nina, was a leader in the rebellions of indigenous people in Bolivia in the early 1780s....
overtook the city of
La PazLa Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Located at an elevation of , it is the world's highest capital city. La Paz sits in a bowl surrounded by the high altiplano. As it grows, La Paz climbs the hills, resulting in varying...
for one hundred and nine days before Argentinean troops stepped in to relieve the city.
While Tupac Amaru II's rebellion was not a success, it marked the first large-scale rebellion in the Spanish colonies and inspired the revolt of many native Indians and mestizos in the surrounding area. The rebellion gave the Natives a new state of mind, and set the stage for their support of Bolivar forty years later. They were now willing to join forces with anyone who opposed the hated Spanish. For all his sacrifice he was proclamated King of America.
Quotations
Querrán volarlo y no podrán volarlo ("They will want to blow him up and won't be able to blow him up").
Querrán romperlo y no podrán romperlo ("They will want to break him and won't be able to break him").
Querrán matarlo y no podrán matarlo ("They will want to kill him and won't be able to kill him").
Al tercer día de los sufrimientos, cuando se crea todo consumado, gritando: ¡LIBERTAD! sobre la tierra, ha de volver. ¡Y no podrán matarlo! ("On the third day of suffering, when it was believed everything was finished, screaming: FREEDOM! over the earth, he shall be back. And they won't be able to kill him!")
—
Alejandro RomualdoAlejandro Romualdo is a Peruvian poet of the 20th century. His best known work is the Song of Tupac Amaru, exalting the revolutionary spirit of that 18th century leader. This poem won a Peruvian National Prize for Poetry in 1997...
In Peru
- During the Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces (1968-1980), Tupac Amaru was selected by military
The Peruvian Armed Forces are the military services of Peru, comprising independent Army, Navy and Air Force components. Their primary mission is to safeguard the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity against any threat...
leaders as the symbolic representation for the ideals behind the Peruvian Revolution.
- The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement was a communist revolutionary group active in Peru from the early 1980s to 1997 and one of the main actors in the internal conflict in Peru...
(MRTA) is a PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
vian Marxist-LeninistMarxism-Leninism is a communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency among the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted as the ideological foundation of the Communist International during Stalin's era....
insurgent group, which became known worldwide for their involvement in the Japanese embassy hostage crisisThe Japanese embassy hostage crisis began on December 17, 1996 in Lima, Peru, when 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement took hostage hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials and business executives who were attending a party at the official residence of...
.
In novels
In the book,
Inca Gold, by Clive Cussler, one of the main villains named himself Tupac Amaru and claims to be a descendant of the real Tupac Amaru.
Around the world
- The Tupamaros
Tupamaros, also known as the MLN , was an urban guerrilla organization in Uruguay in the 1960s and 1970s. The MLN is inextricably linked to its most important leader, Raúl Sendic, and his brand of social politics.- Creation :The Tupamaro movement was named after the Inca revolutionary Túpac Amaru II...
(also known as the National Liberation Movement), was the informal name of an urban guerilla that was active in the 1960s and early 1970s in UruguayUruguay , is a country located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to 3.46 million people, of whom 1.1 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88–94% of the population are of mostly European and/or mixed descent.Uruguay's only land border is...
. The name was also direct influence of Tupac Amaru II and its ideals.
- United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper Tupac Amaru ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He has sold 75 million albums to date and is one of the best-selling music artists in the world. In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was a promising actor and a social...
was named after him.
- Polish reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based...
music band NDK in their song Mafija mentions Tupac Amaru II's death as an example of Catholicism's cruelty.
See also
- Tupac Katari
Túpac Katari , born Julián Apasa Nina, was a leader in the rebellions of indigenous people in Bolivia in the early 1780s....
- Inca Empire
The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca Empire arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in early 13th century...
- Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement was a communist revolutionary group active in Peru from the early 1980s to 1997 and one of the main actors in the internal conflict in Peru...
- Túpac Amaru
Túpac Amaru , was the last indigenous leader of the Inca state in Peru.-Accession:Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 1530s, a few members of the royal family established a small independent state in Vilcabamba, in the relatively inaccessible Upper Amazon to the northeast of...
(d. 1572), the last indigenous leader of the Inca empire