Inca Empire
The Inca Empire lasted from 1438 to the 1540s AD. At its height the empire extended over 2000 miles from Ecuador to Chile. The Inca believed they had a divine right to rule which was supported by their origin myths.
From 1438 AD until the Spanish Conquest, the empire was ruled by three main emperors, also known as Inca: Pachacuti, Topa Inca, and Wayna Capac. According to Inca lore, the emperors posessed a divine right to rule. This belief influenced Inca culture and played a significant role in their rule.
The Inca claims on their origin caused them to rule in a certain way. They believed they were superior to all other cultures. They thought they were justified in conquering and ruling neighboring peoples because they had been created apart from them. They were a select elite, handpicked by the gods to dominate inferior cultures.
Inca beliefs on where they came from influenced them in a second way. The Inca people worshipped Manco Capac's stone and other sacred creation sites.
Created by Jennie McDonald, Tony Krupicka, and Matt Stoddard of Colorado College.