On 26 July 1533, a rope was tightened around the neck of Inca Emperor Atahualpa in the central plaza in Cajamarca in what is now Peru. The general who ordered his execution, Pizarro, is said to have shed a tear as the life drained from the condemned's body. On paper, the man died a Catholic by the name of Francisco, but he had been forced to change both his name and religion just hours before his death. A decision Atahualpa had made to ensure that his own death could be undone. So he might be resurrected to rule over his people once more. In less than a century, his people had built the biggest empire ever known in the Americas at that time. And his death signalled the end of that great empire. This is the story of the death of the last Inca Emperor, Atahualpa, and the downfall of the Inca Empire.
Filmed on location in Peru. Featuring interviewees from Peruvian archaeologist Solsiré Cusicanqui Marsano and local guide Manual Portal Cabellos. Narrated by Sarah Agha. Produced by Mark Bowsher and Lizeth Yarlequé.
Up Next in Early Modern
-
Painting Elizabeth: Creating a Royal ...
Elizabeth I is one of the most iconic figures from British history - her image can be recognised in an instant. But this was no mistake, for Elizabeth’s portraits were an audacious act of spin to cement her image of female majesty. In this documentary Dr Nicola Tallis and Prof Anna Whitelock take...
-
Cromwell's Head
The story of Oliver Cromwell’s head is perhaps the most bizarre, yet least well known, of all tales from English history.
This documentary tells the full story of this extraordinary artefact. It’s a strange and grisly saga that runs from dark conspiracy, to detective story - touching upon kings,...
-
The Sharp End: Episode 1
What was it like to be on the frontline of a historic battlefield?
Filmed at the Royal Armouries, Leeds, Dan Snow gets hands on with the weapons that helped define history, handled by ordinary soldiers on the frontline - from Anglo-Saxon swords to World War I machine guns.
In this first episo...
12 Comments