Inca+Militarism

The Inca Military Expansion of the Empire By: Patrick Carroll

 If looked at closely the Inca Empire is a unique complex society that set out to unify the lands surrounding its capital. The Inca Empire found its roots in Cuzco in the 13th century, were it is believed that the empire started its expansive campaign to conquer the land around the Andean Mountains. (Prescott 1974:9) In order to expand the empire as efficient as it did, the army needed political and economic backing from the Inca king and the provinces they conquered. The Inca complexity arouse from one of many origin myth which states that they are descendents of the Sun and that they came to this earth to help the barbarous people who inhabited it. Their quest was to unite people of the world into a civilized unified group. (Prescott 1974:8) The descendents were told to start their civilization were a sacred wedge would not sink in to the earth. (Prescott 1974:8) This was said to be in Cuzco. Cuzco was considered the starting point for the complex society that expanded all throughout the Andean Mountains. The descendents of the Sun were on a quest to expand their empire while trying to unify the barbaric people of the lands. (Livermore 1970:43) As the people became unified, the army expanded as well, which was the power behind the ability to expand the empire.
 * Military Tactics to Conquer Land**

The army was a complex system with which the expansion of the Inca society was possible. The earliest Inca army was sent out to unify the people without conflict. (Bram: 1941:31, 33) The army waged war not to kill the native people of the lands being conquered, but instead to conquer more arable lands and have a larger economic windfall from these lands. (Bram: 1941:31) The Inca king would travel with his army on a //litter,// which carried him on the roads to new provinces, to show his leadership and to try to conquer lands through nonviolence in which he would try to convince the leaders to join with out a fight. If the people did not join and fought instead they were defeated by the army and had to join the empire regardless. While the army did conquer the land, the people were allowed to play a role in the empire, proving the complexity of the society both economically and politically. Once conquered, the people did not try to regain their independence, (Bram: 1941: 33) because there was a mutual respect in which the Inca would make sure the people are cared for while the people would support the expansion. The Inca king allowed for example, the native Chiefs to also play a role in the empirical political systems. “ //Not only were the local chiefs allowed to keep their estates, but they themselves were incorporated in the Inca administrative system,… formed a hereditary local nobility with bureaucratic and military function,” (Bram 1941:34)// While the Inca wanted to expand their empire they also set to make sure the conquered lands were well taken care of, with the intent of having the natives supply support and help further the campaigns. The ability to have the cooperation of the native people; the Inca were able to expand their Empire and have more people at their disposal to use in the quest to conquer the lands or in the construction of roads and palaces. (Bram 1941:36)
 * Roads as Means of Fastest Movement of the Army**

The roads are a sign of the amount of people and labor was put into constructing roads out of the sides of mountains and how the complexity of the empire allowed for the native Indians to pay tribute to the Inca for being cared for. (Prescott 1974:60) These roads were a significant achievement that allowed for the troops to travel throughout the lands more readily and be able to conquered lands faster. This allowed the army to grow with each conquered province. The roads were made with such precision that they are comparable with the roads of Rome. (De Cieza 1959:138) These highways were well traveled and extended from one end of the empire to the other. The highways were constructed just for the use of the army and activities approved on by the Inca king. The roads were “unused by the commoners”. (Bram 1941:37) Along with the highways there were places where bridges played a key role in moving the troops efficiently. These bridges were great feats of construction that took many hours of work from many people. These bridges had to support heavy traffic from troops. These bridges hung over large crevasse and therefore had to be constructed with such precision. They were strong enough to support the troops, whether infantry or “Spaniard cross … on horseback at a gallop”. (Livermore 1970:150) These bridges were constructed with such strength in mind that they were made with three ropes of osiers, were one of the three ropes that supports the bridge is said to measure the size of a “mans body” (Livermore 1970:149)
 * Construction of Tambos and other Establishments**

In order to be efficient while traveling along the roads, tambo were constructed. Tambos were palaces and barracks, which were used to house the “Inca” and his army on their journey across the empire. Theses were stretched out a days hike from each other at about ten miles apart. (Prescott 1974:60) These barracks allowed the troops to rest during the night in a sheltered area as well as being able to replenish their supplies, be it needed, from the store houses that were supported by the native Indians who lived nearby in the conquered provinces. These state storage facilities allowed the army to always be prepared with enough supplies for their journey and conquest. (De Cieza 1959:107) The barracks were so well constructed that the stone fit together with out any mortar or cement. (De Cieza 1959:145) Tambo Colorado is a great example which still stands today. However, //tambos// were not the only buildings along the highways. There were little huts spaced out at even intervals that held //Chasqui//, which were runners who were stationed at the huts near their lands, and were there to serve as a messenger for the Inca king and his military. (Livermore 1970:328, Prescott 1974:60) The runners were used to deliver messages across the empire in a short time. These runners were important to the continuation of the military quest for expansion because they carried a message that would normally take much longer to be received and responded if they only relied on one person to carry it. Each runner would hand off the message at the next hut which allowed them to rest until the next message came. The construction of such establishments was an important role in the expansion of the empire.
 * Political Backing from the Conquered Lands**

The construction of all the establishments along the roads was undertaken by the people of the conquered lands while still under the control of their native leaders. The amount of trust put into the people from the Inca shows that the army was powerful enough to put faith in the people that if they do what is requested that they will be taken care of by the Inca. The political influence on the army comes straight from the front line where the Inca king would run his army. “The army was generally headed by the Inca in person”. (Prescott 1974:63) With the king in the front, the power exhibited shows the political strength coming from the capital. Besides the king, each conquered province, whether by force or by forfeit, gave extra political backing to the army and the quest to expand the empire. Political backing for the army was important because each province of the empire would put forth its resources to help assure that the Inca army was well supplied and stocked with able body men to fight in the battles and supplies to run efficiently. Each man would have to join in on the conquest no matter where from in the empire he comes from. (Bram 1941:45) This tactic assures that every male is ready to fight if they are ever called upon.
 * Economic backing from the Conquered Lands**

Economic backing played an important key in the continuance of the army’s campaign to expand the Empire. The amount of time and effort put forth to allow these campaigns would have been too great of burden for just one province to undertake. That’s why each conquered region would undertake the burden of keeping “care of the great roads”. (Prescott 1974:60) Whether it was making sure that the supplies and resources need to keep the army running were readily available and that the roads are cared for. (De Cieza 1959:105) In order to run efficiently while on the campaign it would have been too difficult to try to plunder the supplies needed to function. Therefore the provinces would take the responsibility of making sure that everything is supplied for as a form of tribute toward the Inca. The main way they paid their tribute was through keeping the storehouses along the roads stocked with the needed supplies for the army. (Livermore 1970:255) The conquered people paid this tribute as a form of repayment for the right to be able to continue living in their lands and be taught how to be “civilized” by the Inca.
 * Conclusion**

The empire that was formed was done so by the efforts of the army and the Inca king who supported them. While the army grew out of the capital city, it took the help through political and economic backing from the provinces that were conquered. The provinces would pay a tribute to the Inca king and his army in the form of supplies in storehouses and give more men to the army which was required in order to continue the campaign for expansion. This tribute was paid as a form of debt for being taught how to be civilized by the Inca people. While political backing came from the political powers of the central city, the political powers of the provinces also provided support to the army. These political leaders from the provinces made sure that the roads were constructed with great effort so that the roads were travel worthy by the troops and the Inca. This form of control is an effective military tactic that proved to be beneficial the expansion of the empire. Indirect control over the native Indians allows the empire to work together in a circular motion. The Inca provide for the provinces while the provinces supported the army that was out to conquer the land surround the Andeans Mountains. __Sources__ Bram, Joseph 1941 An Analysis of Inca Militarism. Ph.D. dissertation, American Ethnological Society, University of Washington Press.

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