Garcilaso de la Vega Commentarios Reales 1609

The ''Comentarios Reales de los Incas'' is a book written by

Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (12 April 1539 – 23 April 1616), born Gómez Suárez de Figueroa and known as El Inca, was a chronicler and writer born in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Sailing to Spain at 21, he was educated informally there, where he l ...

, the first published

mestizo (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed Ethnic groups in Europe, European and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also r ...

writer of

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

Andean The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the List of mountain ranges#Mountain ranges by length, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range i ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. The ''Comentarios Reales de los Incas'' is considered by most to be the unquestioned masterpiece of

, born of the first generation after the Spanish conquest.

Background of the author

Garcilaso de la Vega, el Inca, was a direct descendant of the royal

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

rulers of

pre-Hispanic In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

and had a Spanish father. He wrote the chronicles as a firsthand account of the Inca traditions and customs. He was born a few years after the initial Spanish conquest and grew up while warfare was still underway. He was formally educated within the Spanish system of his father and for the most part, "Garcilaso interpreted Inca and Andean religion from the European and Christian point of view that he had been taught to adopt from infancy, and that provided him with most of his historical and philosophical terminology." The natural son of Captain

Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega y Vargas Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega y Vargas (1507 in Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain – 1559 in Cuzco, Viceroyalty of Peru) was a Spanish conquistador and colonial official. He fathered a son, the mestizo chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, with the Inca ...

and the Inca ñusta (princess) Isabel Suárez Chimpu Ocllo (or Palla Chimpu Ocllo), he lived with his mother and her people until he was ten and was close to them until leaving Peru. He grew up in the worlds of both his parents, also living with his Spanish father as a youth. After traveling to Spain at the age of 21, he was informally educated there, where he lived the rest of his life. Garcilaso had previously published a Spanish translation of the ''Dialogos de Amor'' and had written ''La Florida del Inca''. That was an account of

Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1500 – 21 May, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire ...

's expedition in Florida and was quite popular. Both works had earned him recognition as a writer.

Viewpoint

Most experts agree the ''Comentarios Reales'' are a chronicle of the culture, economics, and politics of the Inca Empire, based on oral tradition as handed down to Garcilaso by relatives and other ''

amauta Amauta (meaning "master" or "wise one" in Quechua) was a title for teachers in the Inca empire, especially of children of the nobility. According to Fray Martin de Murua, a missionary in Peru, education in the Inca empire was instituted in schools ...

'' (masters, wise ones) during his childhood and adolescence, as well as written sources, including the chronicle of

Blas Valera Blas Valera (1544-1597) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Jesuit Order in Peru, a historian, and a linguist. The son of a Spaniard and an indigenous woman, he was one of the first mestizo priests in Peru. He wrote a history of Peru titled ''Hi ...

. Garcilaso's commentaries have to be understood as representing a mixed worldview of the empire. He wrote both as a member of the royal family of

Cuzco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru; ...

and from the base of Spanish-Catholic theology.

Chapters

The ten sections or books of the work have the following subject matter: *Book 1. Origin of the Incas,

Manco Capac Manco is a male given name, and may refer to: * Manco Capac, also known as Manco Inca and Ayar Manco, according to some historians, founder and first governor of the Inca civilization in Cuzco (KOOZ-Koh), possibly in the early 13th century *Manco In ...

, and the founding of

*Book 2.

Sinchi Roca Sinchi Roca, Sinchi Rocca, Cinchi Roca (in Hispanicized spellings), Sinchi Ruq'a or Sinchi Ruq'a Inka ( Quechua for "valorous generous Inca") was the second Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco (beginning around 1230 CE, though as early as 1105 CE acc ...

and

Lloque Yupanqui Lloque Yupanqui (born c. January 1, 1260 – died c. January 1, 1290, aged approximately circa 30) (Quechua ''Lluq'i Yupanki'' "the glorified lefthander") was the third Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cuzco (beginning around CE 1260) and a member of ...

, administrative divisions of the Inca empire, science *Book 3. Mayta Capac and Capac Yupanqui, bridge over the Apurimac river, temples of Cuzco and

Titicaca Lake Titicaca (; es, Lago Titicaca ; qu, Titiqaqa Qucha) is a large freshwater lake in the Andes mountains on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world. By volume of water and by surface area, i ...

*Book 4.

Inca Roca Inca Roca (Quechua ''Inka Roq'a'', " magnanimous Inca") was the sixth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco (beginning around CE 1350) and the first of the Hanan ("upper") Qusqu dynasty.Steele, Paul Richard and Allen, Catherine J. (2004) ''Handbook of ...

and Yahuar Huacac, virgins of the sun, revolt of the Chancas *Book 5.

Inca Viracocha Viracocha is the great creator deity in the pre-Inca and Inca mythology Inca mythology or religion includes many stories and legends that attempt to explain or symbolize Inca beliefs. Basic beliefs Scholarly research demonstrates that Runa ...

, Inca laws and customs, land, taxation, labor, prediction of the arrival of the Spaniards *Book 6. Inca Pachacutec, royal mansions and funerals,

quipu ''Quipu'' (also spelled ''khipu'') are recording devices fashioned from strings historically used by a number of cultures in the region of Andean South America. A ''quipu'' usually consisted of cotton or camelid fiber strings. The Inca people u ...

s, festival of the sun, religion, schools, subjugation of the

Chimu Chimor (also Kingdom of Chimor or Chimú Empire) was the political grouping of the Chimú culture. The culture arose about 900 AD, succeeding the Moche culture, and was later conquered by the Inca emperor Topa Inca Yupanqui around 1470, fifty y ...

*Book 7. Inca

Yupanqui Yupanqui is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Amaru Yupanqui, elder brother of Túpac Inca Yupanqui *Atahualpa Yupanqui (1908–1992), Argentine singer, songwriter, guitarist, and writer *Cápac Yupanqui, the fifth Sapa Inca of t ...

, description of the royal city of Cuzco, Sacsahuaman fortress *Book 8. Inca

Tupac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

, conquest of

Quito Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...

, exploits of

Huayna Capac Huayna Capac (with many alternative transliterations; 1464/1468–1524) was the third Sapan Inka of the Inca Empire, born in Tumipampa sixth of the Hanan dynasty, and eleventh of the Inca civilization. Subjects commonly approached Sapa Inkas addi ...

as a prince *Book 9.

's life, rule, and death.

Atahualpa Atahualpa (), also Atawallpa (Quechua), Atabalica, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa (c. 1502 – 26-29 July 1533) was the last Inca Emperor. After defeating his brother, Atahualpa became very briefly the last Sapa Inca (sovereign emperor) of the Inca Empir ...

made ruler of Quito, warning of arrival of the Spaniards. Huascar becomes ruler of Peru, civil war between Atahualpa and Huascar *Book 10. Spanish conquest,

Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of Peru. Born in Trujillo, Spain to a poor family, Pizarro chose ...

takes Atahualpa prisoner, execution of Huascar, Atahualpa's gold ransom to the Spaniards, trial and execution. Author's conclusions.

Publication history

He wrote the account from memories of what he had learned in Peru from his mother's people and in his later years. The first edition was published in 1609 in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, in the printshop of Pedro Crasbeeck. The first part deals with Inca life, and the second part is about the Spanish conquest of Peru (1533-1572). The second part of the ''Comentarios'' was published posthumously, one year after the author's death, in 1617, under the title of ''Historia General del Peru''. More than 150 years later, when the native uprising led by

Tupac Amaru II Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

in 1758 gained momentum,

Charles III of Spain it, Carlo Sebastiano di Borbone e Farnese , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Philip V of Spain , mother = Elisabeth Farnese , birth_date = 20 January 1716 , birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain , death_d ...

banned the ''Comentarios'' from being published in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

because of its "dangerous" content. Copies circulated secretly, as the native people drew pride and inspiration from their Inca heritage. The first English translation was by Sir Paul Rycaut in 1685, entitled ''The Royal Commentaries of Peru''. The book was not printed again in the Americas until 1918, but copies continued to be circulated. In 1961, an English translation by

Maria Jolas Maria Jolas (January 12, 1893 – March 4, 1987), born Maria McDonald, was one of the founding members of ''transition'' in Paris with her husband Eugene Jolas. Life Jolas was born in Louisville, Kentucky,Alain Gheerbrant Alain Gheerbrant (27 December 1920 – 21 February 2013) was a French writer, editor, poet and explorer, noted for his expedition in the basins of Amazonian rivers. Career Alain Gheerbrant was the first avant-garde publisher, founder of the p ...

. New York: Avon Books 1961. Another edition was published in 1965, and the work has continued to receive scholarly attention.

References

Reprint

*Linkgua US, 2006,

External links

Fully digitized copy of the ''Comentarios Reales de los Inca'' (1609)
from the

John Carter Brown Library The John Carter Brown Library is an independently funded research library of history and the humanities on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The library's rare book, manuscript, and map collections encompass a variety of ...

* {{cite book , translator=

Paul Rycaut Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

, title=The royal commentaries of Peru , year=1688 , url=https://archive.org/details/royalcommentarie00vega Peruvian literature American chronicles Colonial Peru 1609 books 1617 books Viceroyalty of Peru Inca