A Battle for Power

A Battle for Power

The Inca Empire was a powerful civilization that believed in the divine right of their ruler. The emperor’s authority was derived from the sun god, the paramount deity, who was said to pass on his power to the ruler’s most capable son. This tradition of nepotism had proven effective for centuries, as the empire was rich in resources, including vast land holdings, fertile farmlands, and abundant precious metals like silver, copper, bronze, and the most sacred of all, gold. Gold was seen as a symbol of the sun god and was used to create countless idols and ornaments. With a constant supply of gold from the mines, the empire was never in short supply of this precious metal.

However, when the Inca ruler died without naming a successor at the peak of his power, two sons began a violent struggle for control, leading to 40 years of civil war and a decline in the once mighty empire.

  • divine
  • paramount
  • deity
  • nepotism
  • sacred
  • peak
  • decline
  • mighty

The Inca emperor derived his prodigious power and authority from the gods. The paramount god was the sun god. From him, the ruler passed on his prerogative to rule to his most astute son. This nepotism had worked with excellent efficacy for centuries. The land holdings were immense; there were rich farmlands and Llamas and alpacas for wool. Precious metals were plentiful: silver, copper, bronze, and the most sacred of all, gold. This metal resembled the sun of the god whom they extolled. There was no death of idols and ornaments hammered from his gleaming metal. There was always more gold coming from the mines to replenish the supply. The Inca ruler died without naming the requisite successor at the acme of his power. In 1493 two sons began an internecine struggle for control. For the next 40 years, the empire sank into the lassitude caused by civil war.

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