Atahualpa - Atahualpa (English spelling)

The last emperor of the Inca Empire. Illegitimate son of the 11th emperor Huayna Capac. After his father's death, he came into conflict with his legitimate son Huascar, who became the new emperor, and after a civil war, he imprisoned Huascar in Jauja and became emperor (1532). At the same time, Spanish conquistador Pizarro, relying on rumors of gold, led about 170 companions and advanced south along the Inca Empire's well-maintained main roads. Emperor Atahualpa, who met with the group in Cajamarca, was asked to submit to the King of Spain and convert to Christianity. In response, he threw the Bible handed to him by Father Valverde to the ground. Immediately afterwards, he was suddenly attacked. The Inca army was surprised by the horses, guns, and iron swords they had never seen before, and fled in great confusion, and Atahualpa was easily captured. He offered "one room's worth" of gold and silver as a ransom, but was not granted the promised freedom. Instead, he was accused of secretly ordering the murder of Huascar out of fear of an alliance with Pizarro and his party, and sentenced to be burned at the stake. On July 26, 1533, the day of his execution, Atahualpa was baptized as a Christian on the condition that he be hanged instead of burned at the stake and that his body be buried. He believed in the resurrection of his body as the "Son of the Sun," an Inca.

[Aoki Yasuyuki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インカ帝国最後の皇帝。第11代皇帝ワイナ・カパックの庶子。父の死後、新皇帝となった嫡子ワスカルと対立し、内戦のすえ、ワスカルをハウハに幽閉し、皇帝となる（1532）。同じころ、スペイン人征服者（コンキスタドール）ピサロは黄金のうわさを頼りに約170人の仲間を率いてインカ帝国の整備された幹線道路を南進していた。カハマルカで一行と会見した皇帝アタワルパは、スペイン国王への臣従とキリスト教への改宗とを要求され、その回答として、バルベルデ神父の差し出す聖書を地面に投げつけた。その直後、不意に攻撃された。インカ軍は初めて目にする騎馬、銃砲、鉄剣に驚き、大混乱のなかで敗走、アタワルパはあっけなく捕虜となった。身代金として「一部屋分」の金銀を提供するが、約束の自由は与えられず、逆に、ピサロ一行との連合を恐れてひそかに命じたワスカル殺害の罪などを問われ、火刑を宣告された。1533年7月26日、刑執行の日、アタワルパは火刑のかわりに絞首刑に処せられること、遺体は埋葬されることを条件にキリスト教の洗礼を受けた。「太陽の子」インカとしての遺体の復活を信じていたのである。

［青木康征］

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