The Inca Empire Only Lasted For About One Century

We don't know when Inca culture first emerged, although most academics believe it was about the 13th century. There's even a fascinating tale and origin story. Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the first Incas, were transported to earth by the god Inti (the Sun god) and emerged together from the sacred waters of Lake Titicaca, near Isla del Sol (The Sun Island).

However, scientists believe the Inca Empire began to establish around 1400 CE, based on rigorous carbon dating at several Inca towns. When we talk about the Inca Empire, we're referring to the period when the Incas evolved from one of the many dominating cultures in the Andes at the time to a conquering power that spanned modern-day Argentina and Colombia.

Their reign as a dominant force was then unexpectedly ended. The first was the arrival of an unseen foe: smallpox. Huayna Capac, the eleventh Inca, most likely died of smallpox after succumbing to an unknown sickness in 1528. His death caused a civil war between his sons Atahualpa and Huáscar, weakening the empire's defenses, as well as a novel disease that swept the populace. These two elements ultimately paved the path for the Spanish to capture the Incas in 1532. Then, The Inca Empire only lasted for about one century, this is one of the interesting facts about the Incas and their empire because they have left behind huge historical sites.