Pachacutec was the ninth Inca , although with justice we could say that he was the first emperor of the Incas, because until before him there were only gentlemen with relative power. His parents were the Inca Huiracocha and Mama Runto, daughter of the Lord of Anta . From an early age he showed signs of extraordinary personality and was instructed by Micuymana, who taught him to read the quipus and familiarized him with historical facts. He excelled in the art of war, participating from a very young age in the campaigns led by Generals Vicaquirao and Apo Maita.
When the Chancas invaded the kingdom of Cuzco, the Inca Huiracocha fled with his son, his co-ruler Inca Urco, and discouragement spread in the city. In the midst of this disorder emerged the figure of Prince Cusi Yupanqui (Pachacutec's original name), who uselessly invoked the return of his father and his brother. He then organized the defense, for which he had the help of the neighboring lordship of the gray hairs. Carrying the mummies of their past kings, the Chancas advanced like a roller to the gates of Cuzco and sent Huaman Huaraca as ambassador to Huiracocha. He was hidden in the area of Chita and agreed to the submission and delivery of Cuzco, which was not accepted by Cusi Yupanqui. The Chanca army, commanded by Asto Huaraca and Tomay Huaraca, took the imperial capital by storm, but found strong resistance from the Incas, who finally won. The invaders withdrew to Ichubamba and prepared a new attack. In a fierce battle Cusi Yupanqui severed the head of Asto Huaraca and captured the Uscovilca chanca idol , act that according to the customs of that time sealed the victory. The facts were mythologized by the official history of the Incas spreading the fiction that the stones of Ichubamba had been transformed into warriors by the will of the gods, to favor the people of Cuzco. In memory of so much blood spilled in the battle, the place changed its name to Yahuarpampa (plain of blood). But the war did not end. Cusi Yupanqui knew that if he did not destabilize the power of the Chancas, they would invade Cuzco again. He then decided to go ahead and did not stop until he reached Andahuaylas, center of the Chanca kingdom, proceeding with a terrible repression. He took possession of immense booty:idols, weapons, clothing, provisions, herds of cattle, crockery, jewelry, and prisoners, many of whom were killed on the heights of Carmenca. The survivors were gathered in Yahuarpampa and then taken to Cuzco to celebrate the victory by stepping on their bodies. Cusi Yupanqui asked his father to solemnize the festivities, but he refused, arguing that it was up to his son Urco. Distrustful of Cusi Yupanqui's prestige, his father and his brother hatched a plan to liquidate him. However, the plan failed:Urco was captured and his remains thrown into the Tambo River; the old man Huiracocha retired to Calca.
Pachacutec is named Inca
The news was received with joy by the Cuzco people and Cusi Yupanqui was enthroned, who took the name Pachacutec (the one who changes the world) and married Mama Anahuarque, daughter of the Lord of Chocó. One of his first acts was to suppress Inca Urco from official history.
Pachacutec's conquests
Soon after, he undertook new expeditions of conquest successively defeating the Ayarmacas and their own, whose dairy farms he subdued with the help of his brother Inca Roca. Later he annexed Amaybamba, Vitcos and Vilcabamba, including Piccho; as well as the curacazgos of the Pampas basin (current department of Ayacucho). There were also ethnic groups that submitted peacefully, such as those from Cotapampa, Cotanera, Omasayo and Aimarae (Apurímac). One of his three armies conquered Huamanga and the second prepared to subjugate Chincha; the third under his command was to support the previous two. Once these territories were subdued, he founded Hacías (provincial centers):in Huamanga he founded Vilcashuamán and on the coast, after having defeated the lordships of Chincha, Huarco and Lunahuaná, he founded Incahuasi.
He then advanced along the coast reaching Ishmay, where there was a prestigious cult center, which he did not strategically destroy, but instead built a group of temples next to it which he called Pachacamac. According to the chroniclers, this first campaign lasted four years, a period in which the old Huiracocha died. He later began the conquest of the Altiplano Colla and Lupaca kingdoms, and subdued the Pacajes. He had to face rebellions of Cuyos, Cahuiñas and Pocras, whom he successively defeated, devastating their villages and deporting part of his population as Mitmas.
He began another campaign towards the northern highlands, this time counting on the collaboration of the fierce Chanca warriors. He overwhelmed the kingdom of the Huancas and victoriously advanced to the Callejón de Huaylas, reaching Cajamarca. To the east, his son Amaro Yupanqui conquered Marcapata (Carabaya) and subdued the Collas, who had rebelled, in the battle of Lampa. Later, a second campaign was made to Collasuyo in which Amaro Topac and Paucar Ushno, sons of Pachacutec, participated, incorporating Quillaca-Asanaque, Charcas, Paria, Pocona and Chicha (Tarija) into the empire. After almost thirty years of government, Pachacutec began to co-rein with his son Tupac Yupanqui, a lad barely sixteen years old. Along with him, he subdued the kingdom of Chimor and the Chachapoyas.
Great was the administrative reorganization that this sovereign carried out:he ordered the demolition of old Cuzco and built a new great city among whose structures the brand new solar temple of the Coricancha (gold fence) stood out for the majesty with which it was decorated; for this he brought goldsmiths from the province of Chimor. He also built the Quishuarcancha temple dedicated to Ticci Viracocha Pachayachachic. He had coicas (reservoirs) built, dissected the swamps that surrounded the city and intensified the construction of platforms. Cuzco's plaza was filled with sand brought from Chincha. In Saño he built some terrifying prisons that he filled with vermin to punish criminals. Another of his great achievements was the planning of work at the service of the state (mita), to which all the inhabitants of the empire were obliged.
Death of Pachacutec
He probably died in 1471 and his mummy was placed in Tococache (San Blas); Next to it they placed the main idol of the Chancas in accordance with the custom of keeping the gods of the conquered peoples as trophies of the Inca. María Rostworowski has devoted a memorable biography to Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1953).