HIGHLAND COMMUNITIES OF CENTRAL PERU—TSCHOPIK 27 
drove the Indians from their mountain strong- 
holds and left the country at peace (Ruiz Fowler, 
1924, pp. 50-51). 
After the campaigns against Inca Manco had 
ended, the site of the city of Huamanga was 
changed because its original location was found 
not to be suitable. Regarding its present site, 
Vazquez de Espinosa, who visited the city early 
in the 17th century, wrote enthusiastically as 
follows: 
For this they chose a level spot with a brook running 
through it with sweet and crystal-clear waters, and they 
built their city on its banks, having transferred it from the 
other site. Toward the N. it has some low ranges of hills 
which might almost serve as its walls; you cannot see the 
city until you get near it. Its climate ranks among the 
best and most delightful in the Kingdom of Peru; it is 
always springtime, with cheerful skies and healthful 
breezes . . . the temperature is equable, highly constant, 
and... healthful, without annoyance from the sun or 
heat or cold, because there is no excess of any of them. 
All the buildings and houses in this city are very sump- 
tuous, among the finest in Pert; the houses all have large 
portals and are built of cut stone and brick, of excellent 
architecture. The city will contain 400 Spanish residents 
and mestizos, plus a large service contingent of native 
Indians, Yanaconas, Negroes, and mulattoes; there are two 
outer wards; one is administered by Dominicans and the 
other by priests. This city has an excellent Cathedral, 
residence of the Bishop of this city and its provinces, 
which lie between the Archdiocese of Lima, almost directly 
N. of it, and the Diocese of Cuzco, which is toitsS..... 
The city contains excellent Dominican, Franciscan, 
Mercedarian, and Jesuit convents, and an excellent 
nunnery of nuns of Santa Clara; there is a hospital for 
the care of the indigent sick, and, in addition, other 
shrines and churches. This city is at the halfway point 
of the King’s Highway of the Incas, between Lima and 
Cuzco. Within a 5-league circuit it has very fertile and 
prolific valleys with a hot climate; in them there are 
vineyards, pear orchards, pippins, apples, quinces, peaches, 
figs, and all the other Spanish and native varieties of 
fruit, in great abundance. These valleys are delightful 
resorts and much frequented, as, e. g., Yueay, 1 league 
from the city, and Vinaca, 3, with excellent vineyards 
and orchards of these fruit trees just mentioned; at 1 
league from the city there is a riverside district with 
gristmills. There are many settlements in the neigh- 
borhood, such as Huamanguilla, 4 leagues off, and La 
Quinoa and others, all very fertile; all over these valleys 
there are many people living on farms where they sow 
and reap much wheat, corn, and other cereals; there are 
many cattle and sheep and hog ranches; almost all this 
area described lies to the ENE. of the city. 
The Corregidor of Guamanga, appointed by the Council, 
has jurisdiction over the 5 leagues round about, including 
all the Indian villages in this district, in which there are 
many cattle, sheep, and hog ranches, and fields of wheat, 
corn, and other crops and cereals. The place is full of 
transients, being on the King’s Highway, with an active 
trade and abundance of excellent supplies. [Vazquez de 
Espinosa, 1942, pp. 522-524.] 
In this district, besides what has been mentioned, much 
wine is produced in the valleys and much is brought in 
on llama-back from the valleys of Ica, Ingenio, and Nas- 
ca, which lie to its W.; and on the cold puna in between 
there are many llama ranches, etc. [Ibid., p. 524.] 
Hence in the early 17th century, Ayacucho, 
located in the heart of a rich agricultural region, 
was already a thriving city which had a large 
Spanish population and was even then renowned 
for its magnificent churches and convents and for 
its piety. While several of these impressive 
religious structures date from the 16th century, 
many more were built, particularly by the Jesuits, 
during the 17th, and even into the 18th century.” 
The placid existence of Colonial Ayacucho was 
greatly disrupted in 1814 by outbreaks which 
marked the beginning of the revolt against 
Spanish rule. The general political unrest was 
expressed by street fighting and by frequent 
executions and assassinations, and by Indian 
uprisings against the Spaniards in Huanta, 
Cangallo, and elsewhere." Because of the large 
concentration of Spaniards in the Ayacucho 
region, many of whom remained loyal to the king, 
the wars for independence in this area were par- 
ticularly bitter. Taking advantage of the trou- 
bled situation, the discontented Indians—espe- 
cially the Morochucos—rose against their Spanish 
oppressors, killed many of them, burned towns and 
villages, and looted houses and churches. In 
retaliation, the Spaniards massacred the popula- 
tion of Cangallo, the home of the Morochucos, and 
burned the town to the ground. In 1824, after 
the battle of Junin, the troops of the patriot army 
under General Sucre marched south and won a 
definitive victory over the Spanish army in the 
battle of Ayacucho which was fought on the 
plains near the village of Quinoa.” Yet even after 
their defeat, Spanish officers leading bands of 
Indian guerrillas terrorized the countryside for 
several years. (Basadre, 1940, pp. 76-77.) 
After a brilliant past which was, in many re- 
spects, as spectacular as that of Cuzco, Ayacucho 
50 Medina, 1942, p. 49. This book contains an excellent description of the 
architectural history of Ayacucho and describes in detail its civil and domestic 
as well as its religious buildings. For what is probably the most complete 
existing description of Ayacucho during the Colonial Period, see Ruiz Fowler 
(1924, pp. 45-102). 
51 The following brief historical summary of events marking the beginning 
of the War of Independence is taken from Rufz Fowler (1924, pp. 102-119). 
Also see Alvarez (1944, pp. 18-20). 
52 For an account of the battle of Ayacucho, see Gavilan (1941, pp. 174-182). 
