The Inca Empire, which spanned much of South America from the 12th to 16th centuries, had a complex and sophisticated government structure. At its height, the Inca Empire stretched from present-day Colombia to Chile, encompassing a wide range of cultures, languages, and climates. Despite its size and diversity, the Inca government was able to maintain a high level of control and cohesion through a system of centralization and bureaucracy.
The Inca government was headed by the Sapa Inca, who was believed to be a direct descendant of the sun god Inti. The Sapa Inca was the supreme ruler of the empire, with absolute power over all aspects of governance. He was advised by a council of nobles and priests, who helped to administer the government and carry out the Sapa Inca's orders.
Below the Sapa Inca were a series of regional and local officials, who were responsible for administering the empire's provinces and cities. These officials were chosen by the Sapa Inca and were often members of the nobility or the clergy. They were responsible for collecting taxes, enforcing the laws, and maintaining order within their jurisdictions.
The Inca government was also supported by a well-organized bureaucracy, which was responsible for managing the empire's resources and ensuring that the population was properly fed and clothed. This bureaucracy included a corps of scribes, who kept records of the empire's wealth and resources, as well as a corps of engineers, who oversaw the construction of roads, bridges, and other public works.
In addition to its central government, the Inca Empire also had a system of local governance, which allowed for some degree of autonomy within each province. Each province was governed by a local leader, who was responsible for enforcing the laws and collecting taxes. These local leaders were chosen by the Sapa Inca and were expected to be loyal to the central government.
Overall, the Inca government was a highly centralized and hierarchical system that was designed to maintain order and control within the vast and diverse empire. While it was not without its flaws, it was able to effectively govern the Inca Empire for over three centuries, until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.
Inca Government
The mit'a was a labor tax that each man between the ages of 16 and 60 had to pay by working for the government for a portion of the year. The ayllu was responsible for paying taxes. Moreover, ones as one's rank increased, the latitude of behavior granted to them rose as well; punishments for acts by commoners against nobles were far more severe than for those by nobles against commoners. Messengers lived in pairs — and their whole responsibility was to be ready to receive a message and run to deliver it — so one of them would sleep while the other remained ready to do the job. Ancient Inca Facts about Ancient Inca 9: taxes The ancient people in Inca had to pay for taxes to make sure that the government ran smoothly. There was no system of imprisonment and offenders were punished so that the penalty was exemplary to the rest of the population.
Nobles ruled the provinces along with local chieftains whom the Inca armies had conquered. Inkap rantin, who was at the very least a confidant and assistant to the Sapa Inca, perhaps along the lines of a hanan Cuzco; two from hurin Cuzco; four from Chinchaysuyu; two from Contisuyu; four from Collasuyu; and two from Antisuyu. As there was no currency in the Inca world taxes were paid in kind - usually foodstuffs especially maize, potatoes, and dried meat , precious metals, wool, cotton, textiles, exotic feathers, dyes, and spondylus shell - but also in labourers who could be shifted about the empire to be used where they were most needed. How Did the Inca Empire Fall? Blackwell Publishing: Malden, pp. Below each government there were two Curacas, who were in charge of 10,000 households each. They were known as huacas wak'a and, in the case of stones, were taken for safe-keeping in palaces and tombs, on occasion, even transported on military expeditions.
The continuation of provincial dress was encouraged, serving the function of a social marker. Each major Inca town had a temple to the god and a vast amount of resources were dedicated to him. Those who survived a punishment were forced to tell their stories for the rest of their lives, those interested in listening would give them food so basically their survival was based on how engaging and compelling their stories were. For administrative purposes populations were divided up into groups based on multiples of ten Inca mathematics was almost identical to the system we use today , even if this method did not always fit the local reality. Facts about Ancient Inca 2: the Sapa Inca The Sapa Inca means a sole ruler. Andrew Howe CC BY-NC-SA Other Gods Besides Inti, the sacred Coricancha also had a temple to the Moon goddess Mama Kilya, one to the creator god Viracocha, and another to Illapa the god of thunder, the latter temple being called Pukamarka. Although Tawantinsuyu was comprised of more than 100 distinct ethnic groups among its 12 million inhabitants, a well-developed societal structure kept the empire running smoothly.
Common people had no freedom. Workers were organized into family units called ayllus. If they were caught stealing, they would have their hands cut off. He was a close relative of the Sapa Inca and worked as his closest advisor. That was the law. For that, he needed lots of help. How Did the Inca Maintain Their Empire? Tax was paid in labor - in billions of man-hours.
Each suyu was divided into wamani. For Kids For Teachers. The Inca had tax inspectors that watched over the people to make sure that they paid all their taxes. Local official decide the the turn for individuals efficiently hence reducing the disruption in the lives of the workers and his family. The system was hierarchical and administered by a well-developed bureaucracy that collected tribute and distributed it. However, while kuraka status was hereditary, one's actual position within the hierarchy which was typically served for life was subject to change based upon the privileges of those above them in the hierarchy; a pachaka kuraka see below could be appointed to their position by a waranqa kuraka.
The Sapa Inca was conceptualized as divine and was effectively head of the state religion. The Sapa Inca was called Apu by the Inca people, which means divinity. The Inca Empire was connected by its vast road system running 25,000 miles , which made communication between even far away points possible within days. Officials army officers, priests, judges, and others from the noble class These individuals could ride in a litter and had other special privileges not enjoyed by the general population. Well-devised agricultural and roadway systems, along with a centralized religion and language, helped maintain a cohesive state. How did the Sapa Inca rule 12 million people all by himself? Money was not used in ancient Peru. However, the Incas also brought certain benefits such as food redistribution in times of environmental disaster, better storage facilities for foodstuffs, work via state-sponsored projects, state-sponsored religious feasts, roads, military assistance and luxury goods, especially art objects enjoyed by the local elite.
The Inca government, dominated by the king or Sapa Inca, used military force to control their empire and they spread their religion, art and architecture to try and create a cultural unity. In times of conflict, the high priest might also be a general to lead armies. Local administrators collaborated with and reported to over 80 regional-level administrators a tokrikoq who were responsible for such matters as justice, censuses, land redistribution, organizing mobile labour forces, and maintaining the vast network of roads and bridges in their jurisdiction. But it's an important distinction. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: Inca Empire Begins The Inca first appeared in modern-day Peru sometime during the 12th century, arising from earlier pre-Inca groups in the region.
He was the most powerful person in the land and everyone else reported to the Sapa Inca. Regions the Inca conquered had government workers responsible for building, growing, and keeping order. Wamani were then further subdivided into saya, reflecting the largely saya per wamani varied between two and three, typically the former. Goods were transported across the empire along purpose-built roads using llamas and porters there were no wheeled vehicles. When the Inca made a new law, he told the top tax collectors. So it became large and versatile.
While the panaqa were the closest nobles to the emperor and the most powerful, other Inca families had the ability to control parts of the government. Bueno , Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, p. The Incas themselves called their empire Tawantinsuyo or Tahuantinsuyu meaning 'Land of the Four Quarters'. The centre of Inca power was the capital Cuzco, considered the navel of the world. Military and government leaders could come from both classes of people. Also hit by devastating diseases brought by the Europeans and which had actually spread from Central America faster than their Old World carriers, this combination of factors would bring about the collapse of the mighty Inca civilization before it had even had chance to fully mature. The Incas had a monarchical and theocratic government where the Inca emperor was the maximum figure because he symbolized the son of the sun god.
