Inka Empire Timeline

  • 1200 BCE

    1200 AD

    1200 AD
    The Inca tribe finds the city of Cusco. Manco Capac led the tribe at this time.
  • 1300

    1200 AD - 1400 AD

    1200 AD - 1400 AD
    Inca lives in the city-states of Cusco. They didn’t think expansions was necessary.
  • 1438

    1438 AD

    1438 AD
    There’s a new leader, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. He starts to conquer tribes and expand the control of the Inca Empire. He also reorganizes the government into the Tawantinsuyu and builds the city of Machu Picchu.
  • 1471

    1471 AD

    1471 AD
    Now, Tupac Inca Yupanqui becomes emperor. He is Pachacuti's son and has plans to expand the Inca Empire.
  • 1476

    1476 AD

    1476 AD
    The Chuma Empire is defeated by Emperor Tupac. Their lands are now a part of the Inca Empire.
  • 1525

    1525 AD

    1525 AD
    Tupac’s son who became emperor, Huayna Capac, dies from a plague. Majority of the Inca population dies from smallpox and other diseases over the next several years that were brought by Spanish conquistadors.
  • 1525

    1525 AD

    1525 AD
    Atahualpa and Huascar, the sons of Emperor Huayna, fight over the crown. The Inca Empire goes into a civil war for the next few years.
  • 1532

    1532 AD

    1532 AD
    Atahualpa becomes emperor. During this, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrives in Peru. Atahualpa is captured by him.
  • 1534

    1533 - 1535 AD

    1533 - 1535 AD
    The Spanish execute Atahualpa. Manco Inca is now Emperor. Francisco Pizarro finds the city of Lima, Peru.
  • 1555

    1537 AD- 1572 AD

    1537 AD- 1572 AD
    Manco Inca goes to Vilcabamba and forms an Inca government separate from what the Spanish conquistadors did. Pizarro is killed. The Spanish execute any of the last of the Inca emperors, which ends the Inca Empire.