Cajamarca is located in the northern highlands of Peru, and is the capital of the Cajamarca region. It is approximately 2,700 m (8,900 ft) above sea level and has a population of about 100,000 people. Cajamarca has an equatorial climate so it is mild, dry and sunny, which creates very fertile soil. The city is well-known for its fine cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is also known for its churches, and hot springs, or Inca Baths. There are also several active mining sites in surrounding areas.

History

The origin of the city goes back over 3,000 years. Traces of pre-Chavín cultures can be seen in surrounding archaeological sites such as Cumbe Mayo and Kuntur Wasi. During the period between 1463 and 1471, Tupac Inca conquered the area and brought Cajamarca into the Tawantinsuyu, or Inca empire, which at the time was still being ruled by Tupac's father Pachacuti.

Cajamarca's place in history is secured by the tragedy of 1532. Atahualpa had beaten his brother in a battle for the Inca throne in Quito. On his way back to Cusco to claim the throne with his army of 80,000 soldiers, he ran into a small band of about a 170 explorers from a distant land. These explorers invited Atahualpa to a peace ceremony in his honor in Cajamarca's Plaza de Armas. He left his army in the field with a small contingent of honor guards in order to attend the ceremony. Shortly after arriving his honor guards were murdered and he was taken captive. The explorers were in fact a rag tag collection of mercenaries under the command of Francisco Pizarro. They were Conquistadors.

Once the Spanish had Atahualpa, they held him captive in Cajamarca's main temple. They were able to convince Atahualpa's generals not to attack by threatening to kill their king if they did. But the Conquistadors were also trapped, with only a small force. Atahualpa understood these men, he knew all they were interested in were some valuables to bring back to their own king. So he offered to fill a 88 m³ room with gold and twice over with silver, within two months. The Spanish were stagered by this offer. This room is now known as El Cuarto del Rescate, or "Ransom Room". Tourists to Cajamarca can see a room by this name in Cajamarca, but most likely the room is Atahualpa's cell, not his ransom room. In the end Atahualpla had misjudged the Conquistadors; after they had the ransom they murdered him.

References

• Conquest of the Incas. John Hemming, 1973.

See also

• Spanish conquest of Peru
• Inca Empire

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