Battle of Cuzco

The Battle of Cuzco was fought in 1533 between the forces of Spain and of the Incas. The Spanish forces were led by Francisco Pizarro who, after executing the Inca Atahualpa, marched to Cuzco, the capital of the Incan Empire. As the Spanish force approached Cuzco, however, Pizarro sent his brother Hernando and Hernando de Soto ahead with forty men. The advance guard fought a pitched battle with Incan troops in front of the city, securing victory. The Incan army under the command of Quizquiz withdrew during the night. The battle had ended in November, before Francisco Pizarro arrived with the rest of the Spanish party in March of the following year. The Spanish plundered Cuzco, where they found much gold and silver. Quizquiz was eventually killed, after being struck down by his own followers, leaving none to lead the Inca Empire, since his only equal commander Chalkuchimac had been burned in captivity.

Eventually, Manco Inca Yupanqui tried to recapture the city three years later with some 100,000 Incas, but ultimately failed after a ten-month siege.