Amaru, Túpac, II (1738–1781)

Túpac Amaru II was the leader of the largest indigenous uprising in the Americas during the period of European colonization. From November 1780 until his death in May 1781, Túpac Amaru II headed a powerful movement that quickly spread through the South American Andes and rocked elite colonial society to its core.

Born José Gabriel Condorcanqui in 1738 outside of Cuzco, the former capital city of the Inca Empire, Túpac Amaru II traced his lineage to Túpac Amaru, the last Inca emperor, who was executed by Spanish Viceroy Francisco de Toledo in 1572. His father was a curaca (chief) over the region of Tinta (Cana y Canchis) southeast of Cuzco and operated a successful trade route. The young Condorcanqui enjoyed the benefits of a Jesuit education, was fluent in both the colonial Spanish and indigenous Quechua languages, and could operate quite well in both worlds.

On his father's death in 1750, José Gabriel inherited his mule train as well as his curaca status. He became a successful trader, gaining power and prestige throughout the central Andean highlands. At the same time, he also engaged in repeated legal battles with the Spanish colonial authorities to retain his curaca status. He also witnessed Spanish abuses of the indigenous population and growing discontent with colonial rule. Economic reforms had improved the efficiency of tax collection, which increasingly alienated Creole and mestizo populations.

Finally, on November 4, 1780, Condorcanqui took the name of Túpac Amaru and called for the expulsion of the Spanish and for the establishment of an independent Inca empire. He arrested the local Spanish official (Corregidor) Antonio de Arriaga and, after a summary trial, executed him. Túpac Amaru II pledged to destroy the hated colonial labor systems (mita and obrajes), roll back the new taxes, and free Indians to live in peace and harmony with mestizos and Creoles.

As news of the uprising spread, people flooded to join Túpac Amaru's forces with his ranks quickly swelling to 60,000 troops. He attacked Spanish estates (haciendas), freed Indians from prison, and removed colonial authorities from power. Although seen as an indigenous uprising, much of the leadership came from the Creole and mestizo colonial middle class. The bulk of the fighting force, however, remained overwhelmingly indigenous and included both men and women. They were motivated primarily by local issues, and their interest waned as the army moved further away from their homes.

Micaela Bastidas, the wife of Túpac Amaru II, played a particularly important role in the movement, serving as chief strategist and propagandist. She had advocated the death of Arriaga and urged her husband to move more quickly in his attacks. A delay until the end of December to attack Cuzco allowed royalist forces to go on the counteroffensive, and the revolt began to fall apart. On April 6, 1781, the Spanish captured the leadership and took them to Cuzco. On May 18, Túpac Amaru II watched the torture and execution of Bastidas and other family members before he was drawn and quartered and his limbs distributed throughout the area as a lesson to discourage other indigenous revolts.

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