THE INCAS AND OTUER RULEKS OF TERU. 19 



he caused to be proclaimed as the Inca Toparpa. Tliis arrange- 

 ment seems to have had at all events a temporary and local 

 success, and it had the further advantage that while giving 

 satisfaction in his immediate neighbourhood, it left Pizarro free 

 to pursue his plan of conquering the whole country, on which 

 project he as soon as possible set out towards the south with an 

 army of 500 men. He took and sacked Cuzco and other towns, 

 seizing enormous sums of gold. His lieutenant Belalcazar, with 

 140 men, in the meantime subdued the northern part of the 

 country as far as Quito. 



In 1535 Pizarro founded the city of Lima, ever since then 

 the capital of Peru, and in the course of the same year, several 

 other cities in different parts of the country. 



However, in the following year, an insurrection broke out in 

 Cuzco, which Pizarro overcame after some severe fighting, and, for 

 the first time, with great loss on the Spanish side. 



After this victory, little trouble was to be apprehended from 

 the conquered race. Spanish colonists kept pouring into the 

 country ; and, as it has frequently happened on similar occasions 

 in the world's histoiy, the conquerors then turned to fighting one 

 another. Bitter feuds sprung up between Pizarro' s brothers and 

 his other lieutenants ; murder and treachery were rife for some 

 years. These disputes culminated in the murder of Francisco 

 Pizarro himself by a few mutinied officers in 1541. Thus 

 perished at the age of 65 this extraordinary man, who in the 

 short space of from four to five years, and against the greatest 

 odds probably encountered by any conqueror, had succeeded in 

 subduing and practically reducing to slavery a powerful and 

 civilized nation of eight or ten million inhabitants, and in gaining 

 for Sjiain the richest colony she ever possessed. He was 

 unscrupulous and cruel, like most mediaeval soldiers of fortune ; 

 but, though of humble origin, and almost illiterate, a man of great 

 military genius, and undaunted courage. 



His former associate, Almagro, who had instigated his 

 murder, now proclaimed himself governor, and attempted to 

 hold his own against the envoy of the Sjianish king sent to punish 

 his crime. He was, however, taken prisoner in Cuzco and put 

 to death with many of his followers. 



