Early Civilizations in the Americas

Pachacutec, or Pachacuti, Inca Yupanqui

Birth date unknown
Cuzco, Andean region, present-day Peru
Died 1471
Cuzco

Sapa Inca, or supreme ruler of the Inca empire

Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui. The Art Archive/Museo Pedro de Osma Lima/Mireille Vautier.

Pachacutec (pronounced pah-chah-KOO-teck) came to power within the small community of Incas in Cuzco (pronounced KOO-sko) in 1438; this marked the beginning of one of the world's greatest early civilizations. As Sapa Inca, or supreme ruler, Pachacutec greatly expanded Inca territory and at the same time devised a structured government, economy, and way of life that could sustain the many diverse peoples who would fall under Inca rule. Even though some of the accomplishments attributed to Pachacutec may be mythical and others may have...

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