The Rise and Fall of One of the Most Extraordinary Civilisations in Human History
The Inca Empire was a rich and sophisticated civilisation that ruled Peru during the Middle Ages — between about 1400 and 1532 to be precise. How did these Incas, as their inhabitants were called, come to power? What were the politics, economy, religion and culture of the Inca Empire, which at its height stretched over 4,200 kilometres? This article provides a brief history of the rise, prosperity and rapid demise of the Incas.
This overview article is structured as follows. The article opens with a short description of the rise of the Incas, from the year 1100 to the final establishment of the empire around 1400. We continue with an overview of the most important political developments during the time of the Inca dynasty, until this empire reached its climax around 1530. After that, we will look at the social and economic structures of the Inca Empire and religious and cultural aspects. The article concludes with the years 1526–1532 when the Inca Empire fell into a civil war and the Spanish inflicted a definitive defeat on the Incas.
