The Chancas were a powerful pre-Inca civilization that fought against the Inca Empire, known for their warrior spirit and resilience. Their main settlement was in Andahuaylas, located in the present-day Apurimac region. The war between the Chancas and the Incas was a crucial event in the history of the Andes, marking a turning point in the expansion of the Inca Empire.
The war between the Incas and the Chancas has an epic character, marking a turning point in the rapid Inca expansion and the subsequent formation of the Tahuantinsuyu empire. Both ethnic groups sought control of the rival territory, so a confrontation was inevitable. Learn details about each culture and the events during the famous Inca-Chanca war.
The war between the Incas and the Chancas took place around 1440 AD. In this context, both sides had been expanding their territories through alliances with neighboring peoples. The Chancas, a warrior people, sought to conquer Cusco in order to dominate the entire southern Andean territory of present-day Peru.
The small ethnic groups that inhabited the territories between the Incas and the Chancas (such as the Canchis and Canas) were undecided about whom to support, hoping to side with the victors in the event of a war.
The Incas were a curacazgo (chiefdom) that had not yet sought to become a conquering state. Their alliances with neighboring peoples helped them slightly expand their territory, whose capital was the city of Cusco.
For their part, at the time of the war, the Chancas were led by 'Anccu Huayco,' who assembled a powerful army of up to 40,000 men to besiege the city of Cusco. The Chancas were considered bloodthirsty at the time of the war, based on the torture they inflicted on prisoners of war.
The Chancas offensive took the Incas by surprise. The ruler Viracocha (1380–1438), along with his son and successor to the throne, Inca Urco, and several nobles, decided to flee, leaving the city of Cusco to its fate. In this context, the figure of Túpac Inca Yupanqui emerged, assuming leadership of the Inca resistance. Thus began the bloody wars between the Incas and Chancas.
The war with the Chancas marked a turning point in the history of the Incas. Before then, around the 14th century, they were a curacazgo (chief of rulers) established in the valley of the present-day city of Cusco, imposing themselves or forming alliances with the few ayllus (families) that lived there.
However, the Incas had not yet consolidated themselves as a state or nation. During the reign of Cápac Yupanqui (10th–1350 AD), a slight expansion was achieved thanks to conquests against the condesuyo (condesuyo). Even so, the boundaries of the curacazgo could not be expanded further due to the threatening presence of the Chancas.
The curacazgo of Cusco was ruled by Inca Viracocha (1380–1438), who delegated the throne (the mascaipacha) to his favorite son, Inca Urco. Urco lacked the necessary qualities because he was addicted to sex and alcohol. The Inca nobility was displeased with this decision, as the Chanca invasion was imminent.
When the Chancas sent a message of surrender to Cusco, Inca Urco and his father, Viracocha, fled to the kingdoms of the Sacred Valley. Before the unprotected city, the figure of Túpac Inca Yupanqui, Viracocha's son, who was denied the mascaipacha, rose up. It was this courageous warrior who confronted and defeated the Chancas. After the victory, he was named Inca under the name Pachacutec (a Quechua word meaning "Inca who changes the course of the earth and is worthy of esteem"). It was Pachacutec who, among other works, built Machu Picchu.
The Chanca ethnic group or culture emerged in the southern Andean territories of Peru (present-day regions of Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Huancavelica) approximately between 1200 and 1440 AD. Various researchers suggest that the Chanca occupied the territories abandoned by the powerful Wari Empire at the beginning of the 13th century.
The Chanca rivaled the Inca because both had expansionist aims and shared the same southern Andean region of Peru. Throughout the 14th century, they had several clashes, with victories and defeats on both sides.
During the Inca vs. Chanca, the latter were experiencing a period of prosperity due to various factors, such as conquests and their reputation for savagery in war. Chronicles record that they shouted wildly in combat and tortured war prisoners. They were also famous for carrying the mummies of former curacas with them as a way of encouraging themselves in battle.
Thus, in 1438, under the leadership of Anccu Huayco, after sending a message of surrender, he marched toward the city of Cusco with 40,000 men determined to subdue his enemies. The reigning Inca, Inca Urco, and his father, Viracocha, fled, leaving the city unprotected. Some chronicles indicate that the Chanca faction was overconfident, unaware of the fierce defense of Túpac Inca Yupanqui.
The war between the Incas and Chancas had many chapters. The conflict began at the end of the 14th century when the Chancas invaded Andahuaylas, a people allied with the Incas. The ruler, Inca Roca, supported by the Canchis and Canas peoples, assembled an army of 20,000 men and built a bridge over the Apurímac River. They ultimately defeated the Chancas.
From then on, the impending war continued with victories and defeats on both sides, depending on the alliances forged with neighboring peoples. These supported the best side, according to their interests. Finally, in 1438, the Chanca, under the command of Anccu Huayco, assembled an army of 40,000 men and sought to besiege the city of Cusco.
Here, the chronicles indicate that the Chanca army was divided into three factions. Confidence in victory was such that only one of the armies reached the Inca capital. Faced with the imminent Chanca invasion, the ruler Inca Urco and his father, Viracocha, escaped to the fortress of Caquia Xaquixahuana.
Faced with the lack of government in Cusco and the imminent Chanca invasion, the figure of the young Cusi Yupanqui, son of Viracocha, who was denied the rule, rose to prominence. Cusi Yupanqui rallied the army, sought alliances with neighboring ethnic groups, and defended Cusco. The new leader recruited an army of more than 20,000 men. He offered peace to the Chanca, but they refused. According to the chronicles, the Chanca leader Anccu Huayco responded: "Tomorrow we will see who deserves to be king and who can forgive."
The chronicler Sarmiento de Gamboa mentions that the Cusco civilian population also participated in the fighting in the city of Cusco. The traps set in the neighborhoods and streets were key to the Inca victory. The Chanca fled Cusco, surprised by Cusi Yupanqui's resistance.
During the Chanca retreat, the leader Anccu Huayco challenged Titu Cusi Yupanqui to a battle between their armies on the plains of Ichupampa. The young warrior accepted. The neighboring ethnic groups, surprised by the courage of the new Inca leader, supported the Cusco people.
During the battle, the Incas triumphed thanks to the strategy and courage of Titu Cusi Yupanqui. Finally, the Incas captured the mummy of Usco Vilca (which the Chancas carried to encourage themselves in battle). Other versions hold that Titu Cusi decapitated the Chanca chiefs and seized their heads to prevail over his enemies. From then on, the battle site was called "Yahuapampa," a Quechua word meaning "plain of blood."
Some chronicles indicate that 30,000 Chancas and almost 10,000 Incas died. The truth is that Titu Cusi Yupanqui managed to break the balance of power in favor of the Incas, who went on to dominate the entire southern Andean region of present-day Peru.
The magnificence of this battle became legendary, as it is claimed that the stones turned into soldiers who supported the Incas. This version is known as the "Legend of the Pururauca Soldiers."
Some versions indicate that the Incas, led by Titu Cusi Yupanqui, pardoned the surviving Chanca leaders to consecrate their alliance and final dominion. Other versions say that they only pardoned the ayllus that supported the Chancas against the Incas. The truth is that the Incas consecrated their definitive dominion over the Chancas.
On the other hand, Titu Cusi Yupanqui returned triumphantly to Cusco, where a jubilant reception awaited him. His figure was acclaimed by the nobility and the people. His father, the Inca Viracocha, was pardoned. His brother, Inca Urco, according to the chronicles, died when he rebelled against Titu Cusi Yupanqui, who was named Inca under the name of Pachacutec.
Due to the Chanca conquest and the subsequent territorial expansion, the curacazgo of Cusco grew into an empire. Pachacutec reformed the Inca state, which became known as Tahuantinsuyo. The Inca expansionist plan lasted more than a century, encompassing parts of present-day Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. After the Chanca victory, Pachacutec built the largest empire in South America.
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