Hello, and welcome to Western Sieve. Episode two hundred and fifty five. Almagro returns. In our last episode, Manco Inca had the Pizzaro brothers on the ropes. Francisco Pizzaro was trapped in Los Race soon to be renamed Lima really without any prospect of escape, and Gonzalo were trapped in Cusco likewise, without any real chance of escape, not that they didn't try, and Juan Pizzaro was dead. But Manco failed to appreciate the secret to his recent success.
Using topography to his advantage, his star general Kiso figured out the Spanish cavalry was not invincible after all. If you could lure said cavalry into the mountains there, the Inca might not be able to quite level the playing field, but they could bring it a lot closer. Then Manko overplayed his hand. He ordered Kiso to attack Lima directly, where his men would be at a huge disadvantage because of Pisado's cavalry, and the same thing happened that always
happened. Kiso's forces were obliterated and Kiso himself was killed. Just like that, the air went out of the Great Rebellion. Now that being said, Manco still has the two other Pisoto brothers pinned down in Cusco. Their efforts to break out failed in our last episode, but just then another player re entered our game. After an absence of nearly two years. Diego de Almagro was back, and not a moment too soon. Despite General Quiso's death,
Manko Inco remained determined to continue his siege of Cusco. He continued to surround the capital, using the nearby fortress of Olean tan Tambo as his headquarters. Because that's such a bear to pronounce, I will refer to said fortress as Manco's headquarters from here on out. Sometime around early February fifteen thirty seven,
about nine months into the siege, a messenger arrived at Manko's headquarters. From the south, a large Spanish army, about four hundred strong was making its way up the Andes toward Cusco. At present, this army was about two hundred miles to the south. At the head of this army Diego de Almagro. The sixty one year old Almagro had left Cuzco some twenty months earlier with
five hundred Spaniards twelve thousand Native auxiliaries and hundreds of horses. During nearly two years of fighting and a trek of over three thousand miles, Almagro and his men had crossed over Andean passes so clogged with snow that some Spaniards had pulled off their boots, only to discover that their frozen toes had come off. Elsewhere, the Spanish invaders had stacked the numberless dead bodies of their native porters
as shelter against the icy wind. The members of Almagro's expedition had endured starvation, constant attack, and eventually, some two hundred miles to the south of what is now Santiago, Chili, they had even into a fierce tribe that had managed to stop the Spaniards in their tracks and force them to retreat. This tribe, by the way, called the Arakanians, who would actually fight
off all further attempts to subjugate them for the next two hundred years. To his great disappointment, Almagro had gradually come to realize that the governorship the king had granted him contained none of the riches of Peru. Francisco Pisato had received by far the wealthiest portion of the Inca Empire. Almagro now knew he had received the dregs. Eventually, after a long debilitating trek north, during which many more men and horses died, what was left of the expedition finally reached
the town of Ediquipa in what is now the southern Andes of Peru. At least a hundred Spaniards, innumerable African slaves, and over half of Almagro's horses had died during the expedition. Similarly, most of Almagro's ten thousand auxiliaries had either died or abandoned the expedition and fled their dreams of finding a second Peru
full of towns, cities, farms, and rich minds now shattered. Almagro's followers, most of whom were just guys who had missed out on the distribution of treasure in Kajamarica and Cusco, were now intent on only one thing, returning to Peru and seizing whatever riches they could find by whatever means necessary, and so Almagro, as he returned, sent a messenger not to Hernando Pisaro,
but to Manco Inca. It seemed that Almagro was going to try to play off the instability that he found upon his return to try to get himself back in the driver's seat in Cusco. The message began, quote my well
loved son and brother, again Almagro, addressing Manko. While I was in Chile, they gave me news that the Christians were abusing you, and about the robbery of your property in house, and about the seizure of your beloved wives, which gives me more pain than if they had done that to me, especially because I believe that what they did to you was unjust, and because I appreciate and love you and consider you a true son and brother.
And as soon as I found out, I immediately decided to come with a thousand Christians and seven hundred horses, who are with me now a little bit of an embellishment, and with letters and powers from the King also not true, my lord, in order to restore all that they had taken from you, and to punish those responsible for treating you so badly, as their crimes
demand. And Almagro continued, because if you rose up or made war, it was caused by their being so wicked that you were unable to tolerate it. And although with your recent punishment of them, you must be satisfied, given that I want to take care of this personally in order to send them as prisoners to the King, who will order that they be executed. It seems to me that with my arrival, you should be confident that you will
never lack my help again. And even though the troops I have with me are so numerous and so powerful that they are enough to subjugate a great portion of the earth, and even though I am daily expecting another two thousand men, I wouldn't think of doing anything without your approval and advice, nor would I ever refuse you the friendship and goodwill that I've always felt towards you. Almagro followed up his letter by sending two emissaries from his army to meet with
manko Inca. For his part, del Magro realized that a Francisco Pisaro was in a dramatically weaker position compared to two years ago, and Almagro now found himself in a rosy position. If he played his cards right, he might end the rebellion and then turn around and blame its cause on the Pisarros. Then Charles the Fifth back in Spain could be persuaded to put him in charge of northern Peru. For Almagro, this was essential because, as I mentioned,
there was no great second Inca empire to the south. That he didn't know this at the time, of course, no one did, but the Americas were actually fresh out of empires. Hernando de Soto was about to learn the same lesson in the American southeast. Mango responded to Almagro's sudden appearance favorably. Might as well make lemonade out of lemons. I suppose he wrote a
letter to Almagro. Well, I mean the emissaries did, but addressed it to Charles the Fifth, so that that way it could be directly passed on
to the King. And the inherent sells pitch here is pretty obvious, your Sacred Majesty, sent by your Governor al Magro and your royal name, and given our diplomatic mission, which in effect was to bring manko Inca peacefully from his rebellion, and to show him the friendship that the Governor al Magro had for him, and abuse that it seemed to him that the Christians in Cusco
had done to Manco against Your Majesty's wishes. We wish to inform you that the Inca Emperor received us very well and listened to our message and responded in the following manner. How is it that the great Lord from Castile Spain orders that they the Spaniards, and in this case he's really referring to the Pizarros, seize my wives and take me prisoner with a chain around my neck,
and that the urinate on me and spit in my face. How is it that Gonzalo Pizarro, brother of the elder Lord Francisco Pizzaro, stole my wife and has her still? And he Manko also complained about a variety of other things that happened in Cusco. Finally, he concluded, saying to my father Almagro, if the message you have sent me is true and you are not lying, then I will come to you peacefully and I will stop killing all
these Christians who have done me these wrongs. May God protect you, he means, King Charles, and enlarge the Christian universe, your humble vassals, signed the two emissaries. While Almagro and Manko returned diplomatic pleasantries, another emissary arrived in Almagro's camp. This one was from Hernando Pisado initially had been slow to believe these rumors, though a large Spanish army had suddenly materialized on Peru's
southern border. They had been hearing such reports four months now, and all of them turned out to be false. But with Almagaro now only twelve miles away, Ernando was able to confirm the rumors as conclusively true. Unfortunately for him, he also discovered that Almagro was in negotiations with Manco Inca, far from coming to his fellow Spaniards, aid, it seems the one eyed former
partner of Francisco Pisarto was considered stabbing then in the back. It seems that the struggle for Cusco was far from over, and that there were now three players vying for control, the Pizartos, Manco Inca, and Diego de Almagro. Conjuring his best Macchiavelli impression, Ernando now wrote to Manco for the first time since the rebellion began. He said he was willing to forgive and forget.
This whole silly rebellion could be a thing of the past if Manco quickly came to terms with the Pisaros. Oh and that Almagno guy, Well, he wasn't to be trusted. Two different emissaries and three different factions, two Spanish and one Inca, now jockeyed for position back at Manko's headquarters. All were competing for the same thing, control over Peru, or, in Almagro's case, control over the Cusco region so that he could tack it onto his
southern kingdom. For almost a century, Manko's ancestors had ruled the central Andes. Now, however, the young emperor was confronted with two Spanish forces, both of which were offering to share power with him if only he were to
side with one against the other. But how could he know that either one of them was telling the truth, And how could he know if they weren't secretly working together to destroy both him and his rebellion, which probably makes the most sense suspicious of possible duplicity, Manko Almagro's two emissaries to prove their sincerity. To do so, they would have to chop off the hand of Hernando's native messenger, and then that would prove to him that Almagro really did hate
the Pizarros. In Manko's eyes, the messenger was in any case, a trader, as he had helped Hernando and his men survived the long and bitter fight for Cousco, so having his hand chopped off was fine anyway. Manko's warriors quickly pinned the messenger's arm down, while another handed one of the Spaniards a sword, as Manco watched, protected by his guards. Of course,
the Spaniard slowly lifted the sword above the outstretched hand. There it hovered for a moment until the Spaniard brought it down neatly, slicing off four fingers. Evidently satisfied, Manko allowed the two Spanish emissaries to return to Almagroo's camp, asking to arrange a meeting with the governor in the town of Kolka, about twenty miles away. Manko meanwhile said Hernando pisa a message that was both blunt
and unmistakably clear the return of the now fingerless native collaborator. As the two emissaries began riding their horses back up the valley, they crossed past with yet another Spaniard, a guy by the name of ruey Thas. Ruey Thas was a local. I guess i'll call him upper noble. He was just now going to try to bring the whole rebellion to an end by himself without working with Almagro's faction, or without working with Ernando's faction. This is sort of
a I guess you would call free for all. At this point, Theas seems to have believed that if he could successfully negotiate a piece accord that would end Mako's rebellion, then he would surely receive a large encomiendo or some sort
of other reward in return. Diaz therefore headed directly toward Manko's headquarters. Pedro Pisado would later recount quote when ruy Diaz arrived where Manco was, he Mango received him very well, and he kept Diaz for two days, and on the third day, Manko asked him a question that, according to what ruy Diaz later said, was tell me ruy Diaz, if I were to give the king a very great treasure, would he withdraw all the Christians from this
land. Ruy Diaz replied, how much would you give? Ruy Diaz then said that Manco had a very large quantity of corn colonels brought out of it and piled it on the ground, and from that pile he took one grain and said, the Christians have only found as much gold and silver as this colonel. By comparison, what you have not found is as large as this
pile from which I took this very single colonel. Ruie Diaz then said, Manco, inca, even if all these mountains were made of gold and silver, and even if you gave them all to the king, he would still not withdraw the Spaniards from this land. When Manko heard this, he said to him, then leave Ruy Diaz and tell Almagro to go wherever he wants for my people, and I will die if we must, in order to
finish off the Christians. Not to be put off, Diaz did his best to convince Manko that he could trust al Magro because Almagro was now an enemy of the Pisaros. If Manko ended the rebellion, Diaz said, then Almagro would get Charles the Fifth to pardon him and place him back on the throne. Manko finally decided that he would test this messenger kind of how he tested the other one, who claimed to hate the Pisados more than anything in the
world. That this would be a more difficult challenge. He ordered four Spanish prisoners be brought out and told Diaz to prove Almago's hatred toward these pizzaros by killing these men himself. He then handed Diaz a dagger and stepped back. For a long moment, Diaz and the four men stood looking at each other. Then Diaz took the dagger he had been given and thrust it into the ground. While Diaz tried to offer a myriad of excuses why he had not
killed these men. A disgusted Manko had had enough. He ordered Diaz imprisoned with the rest. In the end, the whole episode only reinforced the overriding principle that had already taken root in Manko's mind. Spaniards were never to be trusted. They would say or do anything in their pursuit of gold, riches, and women. These discussions were pointless. But what to do now?
Having been unable to overcome fewer than two hundred Spaniards with eighty horses in Cusco after nearly a year of trime, and with hundreds of thousands of native troops at his disposal, Manko realized that his plans for raising additional troops with which to overrun Cusco had abruptly come to an end. Soon, more than a thousand Spaniards and perhaps five hundred horses would be in Cusco only thirty miles away.
With such a powerful enemy nearby, and maintaining his headquarters in Oleantan Tambo, this was obviously no longer an option. Manko also had no doubt been unable to forget what Rui Diaz had told him that even if Manco were somehow able to convert the nearby mountains into peaks of gold and send all of that gold directly to Spain, the Spanish king would still not withdraw these invaders from his country. Manko now understood that the Spaniards were more powerful than they had
ever believed, and unfortunately, their power only seemed to be increasing. Soon after learning that Manco had agreed to meet with him, Almagro began moving his force down to the Uk Valley toward Kalka, the suggested meeting place. Almagro no doubt expected to witness the typical arrival of an Incan emperor, that is, a standard ceremonial procession. However, no such procession arrived. Instead, five or six thousand native warriors suddenly appeared on the surrounding hills and began racing
towards the Spaniards in full scale attack. Although Almagro soon launched a counterattack, the fierce assault nevertheless forced his troops out of the city. Almagro and his men were in fact barely able to recross the UK River, swollen from the recent rains. Almagro didn't know that Ruy Diaz had failed. Almagro didn't know that Manco had no intention of meeting with him or any other Spaniard ever. Again, in fact, angry and frustrated with the recent turn of events,
Manko now vented his wrath upon the prisoner Ruie Thiaz. Later, one chronicler would write quote, they treated him Diaz very cruelly like barbarians, and stripped naked. They smeared him with their mixtures, and were amused to see how horrible and fierce he looked. They made him drink a great quantity of their wine or chicha, which they drank themselves, and having tied him to a post, they shot a hand sized fruit we called guavas at him with slings,
which bothered him greatly. They then shaved off his beard and cut his hair, wanting to transform him from the good captain and Spaniard that he was into a naked Indian end quote. By this time, both Almagro and Hernando
Pisaro understood Manko's message that the Inca rebellion would continue. Although Manco may have briefly entertained the notion of negotiating with Almagro, in the end, he decided that he had only one choice as the leader of an insurgency that it had already killed hundreds of Spaniards, including one of Francisco Pizaro's own brothers, fer Manco. There just wasn't any going back. The Pizzaro's would never forgive him
Diego de Lamagro. Meanwhile, after failing in his effort to negotiate with the Inca emperor now shifted his focus to the question of Cusco. Almagro was by now well aware that despite nine months of efforts, Manco had been unable to seize the capital. Almagro also knew that Hiernando Pizaro, whom Almagro despised, continued to hold the city on behalf of his elder brother. Disappointed by the King's grant of what he perceived to be an impoverished, largely ungovernable kingdom to
the south. Almagro was now increasingly obsessed with one idea to seize Cusco and the surrounding region as his own. Since Almagro was unaware of the fact that the king had already extended the southern boundary of Pisaro's realm, he believed there was still a good chance Cusco actually lay within the northern boundary of his own
governorship. Marching his troops to within just a few miles of the Inca capital, Almagro halted his advance and set up camp the better Incunquistador then dispatched two messengers to quote go to the city of Cusco and greeturn onto Pisaro on his behalf and tell him that he had not discovered in the provinces of Chile that magnificence wealth that the Indians in Peru had told him was there, and that he had received news that the entire Kingdom of Peru had risen in rebellion,
that the Indians were rebelling against the service of his majesty. This news, as well the arrival of his appointment as the governor of the new Kingdom of Toledo were the reasons for his return. There was no need to worry. Therefore, nor should his arrival cause any concern for his Almagro's only thought was
to serve God and the King and to punish the rebellious Indians. Indeed, he Almagro had felt immense sorrow the moment he had learned about the great hardships that the Governor, friend Cisco Pisaro and the rest of the Spaniards had suffered. For his part, Almagro had never intended to betray his fellow Spaniards. This was all a series of ploys intended to boost his bargaining position, though
to be fair, this had all really annoyed hernan No Pisaro. The people really suspicious of Almagro, however, were the wealthy and commend owners who had been with Pisaro since the beginning. If something happened and Almagro did get control of her Cusco, then they would be out of luck. On the other hand, there were plenty of Spaniards and cusco who had not been part of
Pisaro's initial expedition and did not own lavish and Commiendez. These men might quickly throw in with al Magro if they felt that they could get a better deal. The battle lines did not waste long in drawing. Now, at thirty six years of age, Hernando Pizaro was still the same tall, massively built, arrogant, greedy, selfish individual that he had been well before the Siege
of Cusco. That is to say, he's still the person who wears everything, including all of his faults, on his sleeve, and he treats just about every person that he meets as an inferior MEA Emperor Atahualpa is said to have once remarked that he had witnessed no other Spaniard who acted so much like an Inca lord than Hernando Pisaro. Now, of course, in the Inca case, such behavior was culturally prescribed. The display of contempt was a standard
Inca ruling protocol. In Hernando's case, however, such behavior induced a strong negative reaction for most of his fellow Spaniards. And this was absolutely true when it comes to al Mago. For years, Hernando had referred to Almagro as that quote unquote circumcised more which I had to look this up, but apparently that's one of the worst Spanish insults for a fellow Spaniard in the sixteenth century.
Hernando had actually used it for other contemporaries as well. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that not only did Diego de Almagro hate Hernando and Hernando hate Almagro, but so too did many of their respective men. Now, since the lifting of Manco's siege, the Spaniards in Cusco were no longer hold up in the two buildings in the main square. Many had returned to their original homes in the city, at least those homes that had not been consumed in
the Great Fire. Hernando had already established himself in the former royal palace. Hernando Gonzalo and about twenty Spaniards loyal to the Pizarros set up artillery in the doors of the palace and used it as a redoubt, determined to resist if Almagro tied to seize Cousco. Although some thought that Hernando's distrust of el Magro was exaggerated in this case, at least those suspicions turned out to be justified.
On the night of April eighteenth, fifteen thirty seven, at about two in the morning, Diego de Almagro, seasoned commander he was prepared his forces to attack. There was heavy rain that evening, and with cracks of lightning periodically illuminating the night, el Magro and his men crept into the city and quickly captured the main church on the main square, one of the two buildings
in which Hernando's men had taken refuge during the siege. Other captains now seized the principal streets of the city, deploying more than two hundred and eighty cavalrymen in the process. Almagro's second in command, a man named Rodrigo Orgonez, the same man who had beaten out de Soto for the position. A second in command, led a detachment that surrounded the main royal palace, where Hernando and Gonzalo Pizzaro and about twenty men were still sleeping, totally unaware by the
way that a political coup was just unfolding fairly outside their doors. It wasn't until the Inca capital was already firmly in Almagro's control that Hernando and his men realized that something was amiss. Leaping up, Hernando, Gonzalo and the rest of the Spaniards grabbed their weapons and began a fierce fight against their attackers, who had seized the small cannons that have been stationed in the doorways and were
now trying to force their way inside. Rodrigo Orgones, frustrated at not being able to enter, shouted outside in the rain that if Hernando would give himself up, then he would be well treated. Ernando, however, is said to have said back, quote, I will not surrender to a lowly soldier such as you are. Orgones then shouted back that he was the Captain general of the government of New Toledo, and that he Hernando Pizzaro, was only a lieutenant governor of Cousco. In any case, I Orgones, my high
ranking men and Pisaro need not be so contemptuous of surrendering to me. With Hernando and his defenders refusing to come out, Orgonz now ordered that the palace be set on fire. Although the palace was built of high stone walls and possessed two stone towers, part of its roof was still covered with tropical hardwood and the rest roofed with native thatch. Despite the rain, AlMg Ro's men
soon succeeded in setting the thatched roof on fire. Sheets of flame began rising up, illuminating the faces of the men below, and spreading smoke into the palace within. Almagro's men, meanwhile, waited expectantly outside, with their swords drawn. They were surprised that Hernando and his men still made no attempt to surrender. According to one eye witness quote, Ernando Pesaro was determined not to give himself up to Almagro's men, and he told those who were with him
that he preferred being burned alive than to obey their commands. And he placed himself in the doorway and defended it in such a way that no one could enter. There was so much smoke that night that was made darker because of it. Orgones was not going to allow the men they had trapped to remain alive unless they laid down their arms and gave themselves up. Then suddenly the big beams that supported the roof began to fall, the flames having destroyed the
thatch. Seeing that they were about to lose their lives, the Spaniards who were insigned begged Hernando Pisaro with great urgency to leave this dangerous place and to surrender to the men of Jile, who were after all Christians. The whole house then began to fall with a crash, and the Spaniards, most of them burned and half suffocated from the smoke, rushed out to face the lances
of their enemies. As the captains he means, Hernando and Gonzalo grappled with their enemies, they were seized and treated abominably with blows and other outrages, which were unjust, as they were the brothers of Governor Don Francisco Pizzaro end quote. And so such was the I guess, I'll say, a reunion of the two groups of Spaniards, those of the Pisaro clan and those of
Almagro, who had been separated now for about two years. Almagro's men now bound, chained, and imprisoned the two Pisado brothers, along with their twenty supporters. The following day, al Magro had them transferred to the Temple of the Sun, which now became a makeshift prison. While Almagro occupied himself with the capture of Cusco, Manco Inca had been gathering an assembly of his chiefs
at his headquarters some thirty miles away. Native Spies had informed their emperor about the Spanish struggle over Cusco, and once the city had been seized, about how most of Hernando's men had now gone over to Almagro. Almagro was presently in possession of Cusco with more than six hundred Spaniards, the Spies told Mango, plus about four thousand native auxiliaries. Manco was also well aware that a second Spanish force of nearly five hundred men was fast approaching from the north.
If either or both groups decided to attack can at his headquarters this time, he would be unable to repel them. And so, looking out over an assembled crowd of expectant chiefs and captains, most of whom who had fought loyally alongside of him for the last year, Manko addressed them as follows, my dear sons and brothers. I believe those of you who are present here and who have remained with me through all my trials and tribulations, don't know why
you have been asked together here before me. I will tell you shortly. Do not be alarmed by what I'm about to tell you, but no very well. That necessity often compels men to do what they don't want to do. For this reason, I feel obliged to please these antists who have so long been asking me to go and visit them. The people in the Antists, by the way, lived on the eastern side of the slopes of the Andes, close to the jungle. I will give them this pleasure for a
few days. I hope that this news of my departure does not cause you grief, because that's not my purpose. You already know very well that I've told you many times besides, how these bearded people entered my land under the pretext that they were gods, which, because of their close and behavior so different from ours, both you and I have even believed. I bought them to my own land, and I treated them well. I gave them my
things for which they treated me in the manner that you've seen. And so it now seems to me that it's time to depart for the jungle, and that I will be obliged to stay there for some days. I am asking you not to forget what I told you. I am leaving behind my son Titukusi and ask you to show great respect for him and to obey him. If you do this, it will please me greatly. Though impressive as this speech may have been, it could not mask the truth. Manko Inca was
effectively abdicating the throne. He was giving up control over the Andes and the coast. He was, in other words, giving up his empire. But Mango was doing what he felt he had to do. He was moving his people to the only location he felt he could keep them safe, the Amazon. Although many of Manko's nobles likely also made speeches, Titukusi only recalled one quote, Lord Inca, how can you abandon your children, those who so willingly loved you, had desired to serve you, and who would give their
lives a thousand times over for you? If that were required, Which king, what lord? Who do you want us to follow? Would betrayal? Which treason would evils? Have we committed that you should now abandon us, with neither lord nor king to honor end quote. Mango, of course responded to the chiefs, reassuring him that they would soon see them each other again, and that he would also stay in close touch. By a messenger's manco warned them, however, never to trust the bearded strangers, and not to
believe a word they say, because they lie a lot. But having made his decision and no doubt. Realizing that the longer he delayed his departure, the more likely it was that he was going to be attacked, Manko moved quickly to organize his exodus. In the words of one chronicler quote, before leaving, they the Inca armed themselves in a great square near their camp, where an idol stood. They prayed to it with much crying, tears and
sighs, begging it not to desert them. And around this idol were others with insignias of the Sun and moon, And in the presence of these, which they looked upon as gods, they made sacrifices by killing many animals, yamas and alpacas on their shrines and altars end quote. But just like the speech couldn't mask the reality, all the sacrifices in the world warn't going to
reverse the situation. Manko Inca was making the decision for a strategic withdrawal, and frankly, given the number of Spaniards moving to the area, it was probably the right decision. Next time, we follow him as manco Inca moves to the jungle, where he hopes to make a valiant last stand. If you've enjoyed the episode, check out the various links in the show notes. We get a link to the website there, western ci podcast dot com,
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