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[Narrator] The Incas,

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an extraordinary civilization.

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In just over 100 years,
from the 15th to 16th century,

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three all-powerful emperors

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built an astonishing empire,

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the biggest the Americas
had ever seen.

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[Historian 1, dubbed]
The Inca state had a population

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of 9 to 12 million people.

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[Historian 2, dubbed] They were
highly developed people.

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[Narrator] The Incas left
behind monumental

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and intricate traces
of their genius.

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But the story
of these great people

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remains shrouded in mystery.

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[Historian 3, dubbed]
One of the big questions

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is how such a huge empire
was built

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in such a short space of time.

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[Narrator] The Incas hand-built
tens of thousands of kilometers

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of roads in a matter of years,
connecting new towns

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and vast administrative centers
forming a colossal empire

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that thrived across the rugged
Andes mountain range.

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[Historian 4, dubbed]
To understand the Inca Empire

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is to understand one of
the greatest ever empires,

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which has almost no equivalent
in the world.

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[Narrator] This investigation
brings the imperial capital

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of Cusco to life,

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the heart of Inca power.

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♪ ♪

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[Historian 5] Cusco was unique.

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The belly button of the world.

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[Historian 2] Thanks to all
these new technologies,

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we can learn a lot more
about this great empire.

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[Narrator] With the help
of archaeologists, historians,

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and the Spanish chronicles,

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we relive
the extraordinary expansion

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of the Empire of the Sun.

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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Among the Inca Dynasty,

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one emperor possessed
a skill set that would make him

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into one of the greatest

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conquerors in history.

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Túpac Yupanqui was
an explorer, architect,

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and born leader.

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[Alexei Vranich] He was able
to conquer huge areas

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in a relatively short
period of time.

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[Narrator] In just 30 years, he
provided conquered territories

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with all the necessary
infrastructure

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to transform them
into an empire.

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[César Itier, dubbed]
Túpac Yupanqui was the great

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founder of the empire’s
administrative structures.

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[Narrator] By the time Túpac

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rose to power in 1471,

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his father, King Pachacutec,

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had already laid

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the foundations of the empire.

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Known as "the transformer
of the world,"

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Pachacutec had shaped the Andes
into a powerful state,

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erecting spectacular sites,
such as Machu Picchu.

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He had begun to expand
his power beyond Cusco.

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And his son had
even bigger ambitions.

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[Itier] Under the reign
of Túpac Yupanqui,

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the empire reached
a truly remarkable size,

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almost as big as when
the Spanish first arrived.

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[Narrator] To the north,
Yupanqui integrated people

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from modern-day
Ecuador and Colombia.

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To the south, where the empire
covered a large part

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of modern-day Bolivia
and northern Chile,

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he pushed into
northwest Argentina.

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Under his reign, the empire

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stretched 5,500 kilometers

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along the coast
of South America.

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How did this story
of Inca conquest unfold

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under the reign
of Túpac Yupanqui?

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[Itier] The Incas appear
at the gates of the new town

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they want to conquer
and issue a kind of ultimatum.

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[Narrator] Bow to Inca power,
or risk collapse.

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[Itier] If these groups
didn't effectively accept

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this immediate
and peaceful integration,

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they would be fought, crushed,
possibly exiled,

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and perhaps partially massacred.

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[Narrator] The Incas' greatest
rivals faced violent defeat.

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The Kingdom of Chan Chan,

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on the Pacific coast
of northern Peru,

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was conquered by the Incas.

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Here lie the remains
of the city

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founded in the 10th century.

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[Feren Castillo Luján, dubbed]
Chan Chan was
a great metropolis,

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the first of its kind
in the whole of northern Peru.

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It covered more than
70 hectares.

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[Narrator] The exceptional city
of Chan Chan

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thrived for almost 500 years.

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It was the capital
of the Chimú people,

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the largest civilization
in the Andes at the time.

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They were experts
in many disciplines,

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including architecture,
evident in their construction

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of the world’s largest
mud-built city.

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The structures at Chan Chan

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are made of several million
adobe bricks.

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A sun-dried mixture
of clay and water,

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covered in a layer of mud.

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The walls, still standing today
in earthquake-stricken Peru,

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are a testament
to their clever design,

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wider at the base than the top.

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[speaking Spanish]

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[Luján] The Chimú people
built trapezoidal walls.

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They built with stones
and built the walls

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with adobe bricks
and clay mortar.

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They constructed
earthquake-proof walls

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able to last for many years
without collapsing.

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♪ ♪

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[Narrator] Inside the buildings,

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diamond-shaped cavities are
carved into the structures.

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♪ ♪

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[Luján] Here we can see a good
example of how the Chimú,

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in addition to the being
architects, were great artists.

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The way they carved the seabirds
in these walls

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shows the great artistic advance
they made in order to capture

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the most realistic thing they
could have seen in their time.

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[Narrator] These motifs,
inspired by the daily lives

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of fishing people,
are well-preserved

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thanks to the arid climate
and absence of vegetation.

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At its height, Chan Chan
is said to have housed

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up to 50,000 inhabitants,

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including several thousand
renowned craftspeople.

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For 500 years, the Chimú people
made the most

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of their agricultural
and maritime resources

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thriving throughout their
1,000-kilometer kingdom.

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[Luján] At the time, Chimú
society was the most advanced

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in every respect--political,
economic and artistic.

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But evidently,
this would be interrupted

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by the arrival of the conquerors
from Cusco.

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[Narrator] More precisely, by
the troops of Túpac Yupanqui.

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Now a young Inca prince,

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he was eager to demonstrate
his strategy in warfare.

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He knew that
this great kingdom,

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more developed than the Incas,

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had mastered its
desert environment

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using incredible
hydraulic engineering,

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with reservoirs
still visible today.

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[Luján] The Chimú managed
to build reservoirs,

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take advantage
of underground water.

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As a result, not only did they
have access to drinking water,

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but a vital ingredient
to build the walls.

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[Narrator] In the 13th century,
the Chimú dug three canals

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which diverted part
of the Moche River

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located eight kilometers
southeast.

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An additional 70-kilometer
canal carried water

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from the mountain valleys
in the north.

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This sophisticated
hydraulic network allowed

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agricultural land around
the town to flourish.

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[Luján] The Chimú Kingdom
must be appreciated

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as a military
and religious state

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that is economically dependent
on its hydraulic engineering.

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[Narrator] The young Yupanqui
exploited the weakness

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of this desert civilization.

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He cut off all the rivers
around Chan Chan.

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Now a dried-up kingdom
with no more resources,

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Túpac and his warriors
cut off its head,

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by capturing the Chimú king.

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[Luján] Túpac Yupanqui
kidnaps the Chimú king

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and any other elites
in the Inca Empire.

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With no more
powerful groups here,

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the whole kingdom
automatically collapses.

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[Narrator] The Incas
incorporated

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this large and rich kingdom
into their empire.

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A pivotal moment
in their history.

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[Itier]
The capture of Chan Chan,

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the capital of the Chinú Empire,
by the Incas

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was a crucial moment in
the development of their state.

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[Narrator] The Incas would go on
to absorb the knowledge

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of this advanced civilization,

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excelling in fields like
hydrology and handicraft.

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[speaking Spanish]

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[Luján] They absorb traditions
like goldsmithing,

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which was of great importance.

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But they also acquired a huge
amount of agricultural land.

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The Chimú had already
built large canals

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and large
agricultural frontiers,

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which the Incas
took advantage of

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to provide a sustainable economy
for their empire.

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[Narrator]
With this huge victory,

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Túpac Yupanqui inherited
the reins of power

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and became the new ruler
of the Inca Empire.

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[Narrator] In most cases,
Inca expansion took place

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peacefully, without
the need for combat.

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People willingly submitted
to the Empire of the Sun.

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On the Peruvian coast,
south of Lima,

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this sacred site dedicated to
the pre-Inca god Pachacámac

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illustrates how the empire
conquered other kingdoms.

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Despite its 1,200-year history

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and strong religious
and cultural identity,

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when Yupanqui arrived
around 1470,

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this major site bowed to
Inca rule without resistance.

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[speaking Spanish]

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[Rommel Angeles Falcón, dubbed]
Towards the end of the empire,

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the Incas arrived on pilgrimage
and asked the priests

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for permission
to occupy the site.

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The priests agreed because this
political project suited them.

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[Denise Pozzi-Escot, dubbed]
Thanks to this alliance,

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Pachacámac retains
its importance,

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which is what the Incas wanted.

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It's in their interest
to adopt this god

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so that they can seize power
without conflict.

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[Narrator] As the Incas
maintained the worship

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of god Pachacámac
within their religion,

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they used the site
to attract and persuade

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more people to join the empire.

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[Falcón] The other thing they
did to conquer this territory

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was to offer gold, silver,
women, or labor.

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They also improved
the buildings,

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all to gain their trust.

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[Vranich] You can’t form
an empire just by force.

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00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,501
You need ideology.

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Combine that with festivals

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where there's actual
tangible benefits

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00:13:01,634 --> 00:13:05,234
such as clothing, artifacts,
and corn beer,

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00:13:05,367 --> 00:13:10,534
and you have the recipe
for imperial expansion.

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[Narrator] In 1471, after
the death of his father,

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Yupanqui had to establish
his own legacy.

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He continued
to transform Machu Picchu,

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high in the Andes Mountains.

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00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:26,634
[speaking Spanish]

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00:13:26,767 --> 00:13:28,300
[Julio Córdova Valer, dubbed]
Machu Picchu was used to control

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everything that entered
and left the area.

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00:13:33,868 --> 00:13:36,234
It was close to both
the mountains and the jungle,

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so it was perfect
for controlling the food

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coming in from the north
and the south.

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[Narrator] But it wasn't
at Machu Picchu

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that the new emperor
solidified his power.

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It was 100 kilometers away,
in Cusco,

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where he built his new palace.

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00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:03,634
[Vranich] Cusco is
the axis mundi,

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or the belly button
of the world.

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00:14:07,801 --> 00:14:10,033
It was the center of political
power, administrative power.

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00:14:10,167 --> 00:14:12,400
All the resources flowed
in this direction,

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00:14:12,534 --> 00:14:16,267
and whoever controlled Cusco
controlled the empire.

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00:14:17,734 --> 00:14:20,767
[Narrator] At this time,
the Cusco valley had

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00:14:20,901 --> 00:14:23,701
around 100,000 inhabitants,

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00:14:23,834 --> 00:14:29,934
and a large network of stone
terraces dedicated to farming.

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But the city plan follows the
contours of a sacred symbol.

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Viewed from above,
the shape of a puma emerges,

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representing
strength and wisdom.

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00:14:43,601 --> 00:14:46,400
The upper part of the city
belonged to the elite,

244
00:14:46,534 --> 00:14:50,033
with the lower part housing the
spiritual center of the empire,

245
00:14:50,167 --> 00:14:52,300
the Temple of the Sun.

246
00:14:52,434 --> 00:14:54,834
The city also has
four quarters,

247
00:14:54,968 --> 00:14:59,067
representing the four major
regions of the Inca Empire.

248
00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:03,434
♪ ♪

249
00:15:03,567 --> 00:15:06,934
Everything in the city
was built to inspire

250
00:15:07,067 --> 00:15:10,367
power and might.

251
00:15:10,501 --> 00:15:13,033
In Cusco,
the heart of power pulsed

252
00:15:13,167 --> 00:15:16,000
from the large
rectangular plaza,

253
00:15:16,133 --> 00:15:19,701
a hallmark
of the Sons of the Sun.

254
00:15:23,334 --> 00:15:24,968
[Vranich] We have this
large plaza here

255
00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:28,200
which would have been double
the size back in the day.

256
00:15:28,334 --> 00:15:31,167
This was considered
the center of the universe.

257
00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:33,334
This was a very dynamic place,

258
00:15:33,467 --> 00:15:35,167
both when it comes
to administering

259
00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:37,334
very basic logistics
of an empire,

260
00:15:37,467 --> 00:15:40,968
but also all the political
theater that went along.

261
00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,634
[Itier] It's also the place
where they celebrate festivals,

262
00:15:43,767 --> 00:15:46,701
parties that consist of drinking
corn beer, banqueting,

263
00:15:47,434 --> 00:15:49,567
dancing, and always singing.

264
00:15:49,701 --> 00:15:51,601
[Vranich] We would've had
incredible rituals

265
00:15:51,734 --> 00:15:55,767
with thousands of people coming
in from all over the empire.

266
00:15:55,901 --> 00:15:58,968
[Narrator] Because the plaza,
and the center of Cusco,

267
00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:01,601
was reserved for the elites.

268
00:16:01,734 --> 00:16:04,067
[Vranich] This area,
which is relatively small,

269
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,434
this was the center
of the empire.

270
00:16:06,567 --> 00:16:08,801
This is where all the important
people lived.

271
00:16:08,934 --> 00:16:11,701
On the outside, we would have
had the villages of the people

272
00:16:11,834 --> 00:16:14,567
that worked for the empire,
and they would have lived there.

273
00:16:14,701 --> 00:16:16,901
During the daytime they would
have walked into the city

274
00:16:17,033 --> 00:16:18,200
to do their work.

275
00:16:18,334 --> 00:16:20,234
At nighttime, they weren’t
allowed to be there;

276
00:16:20,367 --> 00:16:23,367
they would have returned
to their villages.

277
00:16:24,734 --> 00:16:27,334
[Narrator] As only the rulers
of the empire and a few nobles

278
00:16:27,467 --> 00:16:30,567
were permitted to live
in the heart of the city,

279
00:16:30,701 --> 00:16:34,667
royal palaces dominate Cusco.

280
00:16:35,968 --> 00:16:37,167
[Vranich] It's a little bit
different from what we consider

281
00:16:37,300 --> 00:16:39,767
another normal European city,
for example.

282
00:16:39,901 --> 00:16:44,200
A lot of Cusco was based
on the palaces of the Incas.

283
00:16:44,334 --> 00:16:45,567
When a new emperor came,

284
00:16:45,701 --> 00:16:49,167
he had to push aside
other dead emperors,

285
00:16:49,300 --> 00:16:52,167
political party, to try
to make space for himself.

286
00:16:54,133 --> 00:16:56,367
[Narrator] During
Túpac Yupanqui's reign,

287
00:16:56,501 --> 00:16:59,734
his palace was the nerve center
of the empire.

288
00:17:01,534 --> 00:17:05,233
But how could he rule over
such a large number of people

289
00:17:05,367 --> 00:17:08,567
across the four corners
of his territory?

290
00:17:11,032 --> 00:17:17,834
The imperial government relied
on a myriad of civil servants,

291
00:17:17,968 --> 00:17:21,400
local chiefs called curacas.

292
00:17:25,133 --> 00:17:28,166
[Itier] It's the Inca state
that allocates the people

293
00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:31,501
plots of land to cultivate

294
00:17:32,367 --> 00:17:33,667
and determines
that the population

295
00:17:33,801 --> 00:17:38,133
will have to work their land
at certain times of the year.

296
00:17:38,267 --> 00:17:40,767
It’s the Inca state that
assigns them servants.

297
00:17:40,901 --> 00:17:44,100
There are caracas leaders who
govern groups of 10 households,

298
00:17:44,234 --> 00:17:46,567
100 households,
1,000 households,

299
00:17:46,701 --> 00:17:49,834
and even some who oversee
10,000 households.

300
00:17:52,534 --> 00:17:55,834
[Narrator] Emperor Yupanqui
set up an immense network

301
00:17:55,968 --> 00:18:01,200
of administrative centers
across his territory.

302
00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,334
[speaking Spanish]

303
00:18:06,467 --> 00:18:08,367
[Falcón] The idea is to create
a new Cusco

304
00:18:08,501 --> 00:18:11,300
in each conquered territory.

305
00:18:12,701 --> 00:18:15,267
The Inca Empire transformed
existing sites

306
00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,801
or created new cities.

307
00:18:21,067 --> 00:18:24,501
[Narrator] Pachacámac is one
of the pre-Inca sites

308
00:18:24,634 --> 00:18:29,200
that was transformed into
a new city after its conquest.

309
00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:31,767
[Pozzi-Escot]
It's a strategic location,

310
00:18:31,901 --> 00:18:35,200
because we're by the sea,
which means we have access

311
00:18:35,334 --> 00:18:37,634
to all the maritime products,

312
00:18:37,767 --> 00:18:41,767
the fishing and the islands
are here.

313
00:18:46,334 --> 00:18:49,334
[Narrator] The city was
remodeled to possess

314
00:18:49,467 --> 00:18:53,868
all the dominant features
of an Inca city.

315
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,267
In total, around 50
economic, administrative

316
00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,701
and religious structures
typical of the Sons of the Sun

317
00:19:01,834 --> 00:19:03,734
were erected here,

318
00:19:03,868 --> 00:19:06,834
including
the Palace of the Curaca,

319
00:19:06,968 --> 00:19:10,834
the chief who ruled
the district of Pachacámac.

320
00:19:13,267 --> 00:19:17,634
As well as managing offerings,
the curaca recorded the flow

321
00:19:17,767 --> 00:19:21,167
of the people and goods
to the empire.

322
00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,067
[speaking Spanish]

323
00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,334
[Falcón] This tank was used to
store cereals, perhaps textiles,

324
00:19:32,467 --> 00:19:34,968
espadrilles, or shoes, blankets,

325
00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:37,534
lots of different equipment.

326
00:19:40,601 --> 00:19:43,300
[Narrator] The ability to store
equipment and food

327
00:19:43,434 --> 00:19:46,534
was a major priority
for the Incas.

328
00:19:46,667 --> 00:19:49,133
It was vital in
protecting themselves

329
00:19:49,267 --> 00:19:53,400
against periods of drought
or other disasters.

330
00:19:55,367 --> 00:20:00,601
In total, the Incas ruled
over around 80 districts.

331
00:20:00,734 --> 00:20:04,367
These secondary urban centers
were ancient cities

332
00:20:04,501 --> 00:20:06,300
such as Pachacámac,

333
00:20:06,434 --> 00:20:08,801
but also brand new cities,

334
00:20:08,934 --> 00:20:13,133
like Huanuco Pampa,
in the heart of Peru.

335
00:20:14,467 --> 00:20:18,434
Huanuco Pampa was
a typical Inca city,

336
00:20:18,567 --> 00:20:22,767
copied and pasted from Cusco.

337
00:20:22,901 --> 00:20:24,267
Buildings were arranged

338
00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,467
following the same model
as the capital.

339
00:20:27,601 --> 00:20:30,834
A royal zone dedicated
to the emperor,

340
00:20:30,968 --> 00:20:32,601
a district grouping together

341
00:20:32,734 --> 00:20:35,367
craftspeople
and their products,

342
00:20:35,501 --> 00:20:39,801
and around the central plaza
and its sacred platform,

343
00:20:39,934 --> 00:20:44,734
lay the city’s administrative
structures, the kallankas.

344
00:20:44,868 --> 00:20:49,501
[Alex Usca Baca] The kallanka
are very large rooms

345
00:20:49,634 --> 00:20:53,834
that used to house
a lot of people.

346
00:20:53,968 --> 00:20:57,300
[Narrator] These are the largest
Inca stone buildings,

347
00:20:57,434 --> 00:21:03,200
ranging in length
from 40 to 105 meters.

348
00:21:03,334 --> 00:21:04,667
To cover the kallankas,

349
00:21:04,801 --> 00:21:09,667
Inca builders fixed a wooden
framework and thatched roof.

350
00:21:11,567 --> 00:21:12,734
[Nino Del Solare Velarde,
dubbed] The construction of

351
00:21:12,868 --> 00:21:16,133
cities that replicated Cusco
wasn’t improvised.

352
00:21:16,267 --> 00:21:20,667
They were planned using models.

353
00:21:20,801 --> 00:21:25,534
We're talking about architects,
engineers and other specialists

354
00:21:25,667 --> 00:21:27,634
who standardized
and made it possible

355
00:21:28,367 --> 00:21:30,167
to develop these new towns.

356
00:21:33,634 --> 00:21:36,901
[Narrator] How were the empire's
cities, temples,

357
00:21:37,033 --> 00:21:40,934
and administrative centers
linked across an expanse

358
00:21:41,067 --> 00:21:43,701
of over 5,000 kilometers,

359
00:21:43,834 --> 00:21:47,901
five times the length
of the United Kingdom?

360
00:21:48,033 --> 00:21:53,200
The answer lies in overcoming
the Incas' greatest challenge:

361
00:21:53,334 --> 00:21:54,834
transport.

362
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,801
[Narrator] In a land of towering
peaks, endless deserts,

363
00:21:59,934 --> 00:22:01,701
and rugged terrain,

364
00:22:01,834 --> 00:22:04,634
the development of
a new infrastructure

365
00:22:05,367 --> 00:22:07,367
made such travel possible.

366
00:22:07,501 --> 00:22:10,400
[Itier] The first connective
infrastructure developed

367
00:22:10,534 --> 00:22:14,400
by the Incas was the roads.

368
00:22:15,434 --> 00:22:16,934
This Inca road network
was so important,

369
00:22:17,067 --> 00:22:22,367
because there were no animals
that could pull carts.

370
00:22:22,501 --> 00:22:26,501
Without the wheel, all
the transportation was on foot.

371
00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,934
[Narrator] The Inca Empire
constructed an immense network

372
00:22:36,067 --> 00:22:38,734
of 40,000 kilometers of roads,

373
00:22:38,868 --> 00:22:43,767
all radiating from
the sacred city of Cusco.

374
00:22:43,901 --> 00:22:45,133
Two primary routes

375
00:22:45,267 --> 00:22:46,834
span the empire,

376
00:22:46,968 --> 00:22:48,634
one through the Andes

377
00:22:48,767 --> 00:22:52,734
and the other along
the Pacific coast.

378
00:22:52,868 --> 00:22:55,968
These two main routes
are connected

379
00:22:56,100 --> 00:22:59,167
by a series of smaller roads.

380
00:23:01,167 --> 00:23:06,834
This network expanded with
each new conquered territory.

381
00:23:09,734 --> 00:23:11,667
[Marcela Sepulveda, dubbed]
Parts of the roads

382
00:23:11,801 --> 00:23:15,267
on the Inca Trail are still
visible in some places.

383
00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,200
[Narrator] This giant network
is known as Qhapak Nan,

384
00:23:21,334 --> 00:23:23,434
the Inca Trail.

385
00:23:23,567 --> 00:23:27,801
Winding through the Andes,
sections of ancient path

386
00:23:28,934 --> 00:23:31,801
and cobbled steps emerge
from the mountainside.

387
00:23:33,734 --> 00:23:37,834
[Sepulveda] This enormous
network of Inca roads

388
00:23:37,968 --> 00:23:41,467
is the backbone of the conquest.

389
00:23:42,367 --> 00:23:43,167
It symbolizes the power
of the Inca

390
00:23:43,300 --> 00:23:46,400
throughout their immense empire.

391
00:23:46,534 --> 00:23:48,868
♪ ♪

392
00:23:49,234 --> 00:23:53,901
♪ ♪

393
00:23:54,033 --> 00:23:54,968
[Narrator]
In addition to the roads

394
00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:57,300
that dominate the landscape,

395
00:23:58,534 --> 00:24:00,267
the People of the Sun
created an elaborate system

396
00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,567
to circulate information:

397
00:24:03,701 --> 00:24:05,734
royal messengers.

398
00:24:10,334 --> 00:24:12,267
[Itier] In an extremely short
space of time,

399
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,167
information traveled
from Cusco to Quito,

400
00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:17,400
which is several thousand
kilometers away.

401
00:24:17,534 --> 00:24:19,767
And I think that speed
of circulation of information

402
00:24:20,934 --> 00:24:25,133
in an ancient state is
quite unique and exceptional.

403
00:24:25,267 --> 00:24:28,934
[Narrator] The messengers of the
empire, known as the chasquis,

404
00:24:29,067 --> 00:24:30,501
took turns to travel

405
00:24:30,634 --> 00:24:35,300
over the 40,000-kilometer
network of roads.

406
00:24:35,434 --> 00:24:39,100
Messages were relayed
in small stone buildings,

407
00:24:39,234 --> 00:24:42,000
positioned
throughout the empire.

408
00:24:42,133 --> 00:24:46,934
And as well as news, the system
was also used to send goods.

409
00:24:48,534 --> 00:24:51,400
[Pozzi-Escot] For example,
the Inca would receive

410
00:24:51,534 --> 00:24:53,334
a fresh fish in Cusco.

411
00:24:53,467 --> 00:24:56,133
The chasquis would collect
the fish from the coast

412
00:24:56,267 --> 00:24:58,200
and bring it back to Cusco

413
00:24:58,334 --> 00:25:02,434
via these relayed posts
located at strategic points.

414
00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:07,267
Thanks to this, goods flowed
smoothly throughout the empire.

415
00:25:09,601 --> 00:25:12,667
[Narrator] To make this royal
messaging system viable,

416
00:25:12,801 --> 00:25:16,734
the People of the Sun had
to overcome harsh terrain,

417
00:25:16,868 --> 00:25:22,267
including great rivers and deep
gorges that cross Latin America

418
00:25:23,234 --> 00:25:26,400
from the Andes
to the Pacific coast.

419
00:25:26,534 --> 00:25:29,767
How did the Incas
overcome this?

420
00:25:31,901 --> 00:25:37,767
A few hours' drive from Cusco,
3,700 meters above sea level,

421
00:25:37,901 --> 00:25:42,334
flows the breathtaking
Apurimac River.

422
00:25:43,767 --> 00:25:48,868
A carefully constructed Inca
bridge crosses the precipice.

423
00:25:53,334 --> 00:25:57,000
At 500 years old,
it is a surviving relic

424
00:25:57,133 --> 00:26:00,701
of Inca knowledge
and engineering.

425
00:26:03,367 --> 00:26:06,534
This 35-meter-long bridge,
which overlooks

426
00:26:06,667 --> 00:26:11,801
the canyon below, is made
from dried grasses.

427
00:26:14,634 --> 00:26:17,400
For the past five centuries,
local communities

428
00:26:17,534 --> 00:26:22,133
have rebuilt it using
the exact same methods.

429
00:26:25,334 --> 00:26:29,133
[Baca] Before the second
Sunday in June,

430
00:26:29,267 --> 00:26:33,200
four communities start
collecting plant fibers,

431
00:26:33,334 --> 00:26:35,634
known as icchu.

432
00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:41,100
Then at home, they weave them.

433
00:26:41,234 --> 00:26:44,968
Almost every family in the four
communities has to weave them

434
00:26:45,100 --> 00:26:50,133
to complete the renovation
of the Q'eswachaka Bridge.

435
00:26:53,634 --> 00:26:56,968
[Narrator] The dried strands
of this hardy grass,

436
00:26:57,100 --> 00:26:59,367
abundant in the Andes,

437
00:26:59,501 --> 00:27:03,767
are crushed and softened

438
00:27:04,434 --> 00:27:07,267
before being assembled;

439
00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:12,300
the same skillful technique
used by the Incas.

440
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,000
To make the rope bridge,

441
00:27:17,133 --> 00:27:23,834
the dried grass fibers are
woven together into fine cords.

442
00:27:24,934 --> 00:27:29,834
Cords are tightly wound
to form thick ropes.

443
00:27:29,968 --> 00:27:34,033
♪ ♪

444
00:27:34,167 --> 00:27:39,400
And ropes are braided
to form a solid, thick cable.

445
00:27:39,767 --> 00:27:42,567
♪ ♪

446
00:27:42,701 --> 00:27:46,767
The cables are then stretched
over stone structures

447
00:27:47,701 --> 00:27:50,868
on either side
of the river banks,

448
00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:56,934
with each cable supporting
over two tons of weight.

449
00:27:57,067 --> 00:28:00,234
Today, only one bridge remains,

450
00:28:00,367 --> 00:28:03,534
but 500 years ago, they would
have been commonplace

451
00:28:03,667 --> 00:28:06,267
across the Inca road network,

452
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,901
with tens of thousands
of craftspeople

453
00:28:09,033 --> 00:28:11,567
required to construct them.

454
00:28:11,701 --> 00:28:14,734
[Baca] Let's not forget
that the power of the empire

455
00:28:14,868 --> 00:28:19,334
was made possible by the immense
labor used by the Incas

456
00:28:19,467 --> 00:28:21,868
to build administrative centers,

457
00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,467
build complexes,
and build roads.

458
00:28:25,601 --> 00:28:28,567
In fact, here in Q'eswachaka,
a huge number of people

459
00:28:28,701 --> 00:28:32,367
were involved in
building this bridge.

460
00:28:35,334 --> 00:28:38,467
[Narrator] So how was the empire
able to mobilize

461
00:28:38,601 --> 00:28:43,167
thousands of workers needed
for these large-scale projects?

462
00:28:45,701 --> 00:28:48,400
They introduced a clever system
that required

463
00:28:48,534 --> 00:28:52,067
the entire population
to contribute to work,

464
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,601
called the mita.

465
00:28:54,734 --> 00:28:58,367
[Baca] The mita was a system
of compulsory labor

466
00:28:58,501 --> 00:29:00,801
set up to develop
the Inca state.

467
00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,300
[Falcón] That means,
for example, building a road,

468
00:29:04,434 --> 00:29:07,267
building a bridge, building
an administrative center,

469
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,167
building a large plaza.

470
00:29:10,300 --> 00:29:12,767
[Narrator] But how was this
compulsory work

471
00:29:13,501 --> 00:29:15,534
imposed on the population?

472
00:29:15,667 --> 00:29:17,901
[Itier] What fundamentally
legitimizes unpaid labor

473
00:29:18,033 --> 00:29:19,767
is the peace that
the state brings,

474
00:29:20,734 --> 00:29:22,000
which didn't exist
in the previous era

475
00:29:22,133 --> 00:29:24,734
when villages were in constant
conflict with each other.

476
00:29:24,868 --> 00:29:28,334
And it’s this peace that the
Inca state constantly advocates.

477
00:29:29,334 --> 00:29:30,067
We pacify the world,
we've enabled people

478
00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:31,767
to corporate and be productive,

479
00:29:31,901 --> 00:29:37,167
and in exchange for that,
you have to work for us.

480
00:29:37,300 --> 00:29:40,133
[Baca] There are two
fundamental principles

481
00:29:41,167 --> 00:29:42,434
in the economic organization
of the state--

482
00:29:42,567 --> 00:29:44,801
reciprocity and redistribution.

483
00:29:44,934 --> 00:29:46,434
I help you, you help me.

484
00:29:46,567 --> 00:29:49,634
You give to me, I give to you.

485
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,534
[Narrator] So it was thanks
to compulsory labor

486
00:29:53,667 --> 00:29:56,434
that Túpac Yupanqui
was able to mobilize

487
00:29:56,567 --> 00:30:01,400
a huge workforce
throughout his empire.

488
00:30:02,534 --> 00:30:04,267
[Itier] In Andean societies,
work has always been

489
00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:06,467
highly valued,
and laziness is regarded

490
00:30:06,601 --> 00:30:10,234
as a terrible flaw,
even up until today.

491
00:30:10,367 --> 00:30:12,634
The great wealth of
the Inca Empire was labor,

492
00:30:12,767 --> 00:30:17,667
the state’s remarkable ability
to mobilize workers.

493
00:30:17,801 --> 00:30:21,000
[Sepulveda] In essence, the Inca
conquest was a masterful system

494
00:30:21,133 --> 00:30:23,534
designed to acquire
and control everything

495
00:30:23,667 --> 00:30:28,267
that could be valuable
and useful to the empire.

496
00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:33,234
[Narrator] In such a large
and sophisticated labor system,

497
00:30:34,334 --> 00:30:35,968
how did the Incas accurately
track the work

498
00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:39,100
of each individual?

499
00:30:39,234 --> 00:30:42,501
How was land measured
and shared out?

500
00:30:42,634 --> 00:30:45,534
And how were buildings
standardized?

501
00:30:50,467 --> 00:30:51,968
[Narrator] To uncover the
mystery of Inca measurement,

502
00:30:52,100 --> 00:30:53,701
you have to travel
eight kilometers

503
00:30:53,834 --> 00:30:57,767
from Machu Picchu,
to the peaks of the Andes.

504
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,300
[Dominika Sieczkowska]
Chachabamba is
very special place,

505
00:31:02,434 --> 00:31:04,501
because it was a stopping point

506
00:31:04,634 --> 00:31:07,934
between the Cusco
and Machu Picchu.

507
00:31:09,834 --> 00:31:12,067
[Narrator] Photogrammetric
analysis of this

508
00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,667
sacred bathing site
has revealed clues

509
00:31:15,801 --> 00:31:18,801
of the Incas’
calibration methods.

510
00:31:18,934 --> 00:31:22,968
♪ ♪

511
00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:24,200
[Sieczkowska] We found out that

512
00:31:24,334 --> 00:31:28,400
the certain architectural
elements like niches

513
00:31:29,534 --> 00:31:32,334
were erected using the same
unit of measurement,

514
00:31:32,467 --> 00:31:36,634
both here and
in Machu Picchu, too.

515
00:31:36,767 --> 00:31:40,434
During the Inca times, all
the measurements that we know

516
00:31:40,567 --> 00:31:42,701
are made on the human body.

517
00:31:42,834 --> 00:31:45,667
So, the basic one here
in Chachabamba would be

518
00:31:45,801 --> 00:31:47,734
this distance,
but at the same time,

519
00:31:47,868 --> 00:31:50,501
the quarter part of this
would be the distance

520
00:31:50,634 --> 00:31:54,968
between these two fingers,
so it would be like this.

521
00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:58,834
So we can measure that there
are like four parts the same.

522
00:31:58,968 --> 00:32:02,033
So basically using
the elbow, hand,

523
00:32:02,167 --> 00:32:04,367
Incas measure the distance

524
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:06,968
when they were erecting
archeological sites.

525
00:32:07,100 --> 00:32:09,033
It's a very natural
and normal way,

526
00:32:09,167 --> 00:32:13,434
and basically utmost obvious to
apply this kind of measurement,

527
00:32:13,567 --> 00:32:17,601
because everyone here
during the Inca societies

528
00:32:18,467 --> 00:32:22,367
had similar hand, foot,
et cetera.

529
00:32:22,501 --> 00:32:27,334
We can say that the Incas had
standardized system of metrics.

530
00:32:27,467 --> 00:32:30,834
We can assume that
there were certain people

531
00:32:30,968 --> 00:32:34,167
that were very, very specialized

532
00:32:35,100 --> 00:32:36,868
in doing
the architectural elements,

533
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:42,200
ceremonial sectors that
were pretty well equipped.

534
00:32:42,334 --> 00:32:45,901
[Narrator] The Inca architects'
mastery of measurement

535
00:32:46,033 --> 00:32:49,801
is reflected in the geometry
of their buildings,

536
00:32:49,934 --> 00:32:51,901
whether at Machu Picchu

537
00:32:52,033 --> 00:32:55,634
or on the streets of Cusco.

538
00:32:55,767 --> 00:32:57,834
[Sieczkowska] Basically
with all the studies,

539
00:32:58,934 --> 00:33:01,501
we found out that the Inca
measured everything,

540
00:33:01,634 --> 00:33:04,267
both architecture,
but also the land,

541
00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:07,434
the distance between
one element or another.

542
00:33:07,567 --> 00:33:11,367
And they were very precise
in organizing the space

543
00:33:11,501 --> 00:33:14,834
and the place where they lived.

544
00:33:14,968 --> 00:33:18,400
[Narrator] This skill enabled
them to reproduce

545
00:33:18,534 --> 00:33:20,634
the same type of building

546
00:33:21,834 --> 00:33:25,334
in an almost industrialized way
throughout the empire.

547
00:33:26,701 --> 00:33:29,033
Because the Incas had
invented a building

548
00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:32,634
that could be
infinitely replicated.

549
00:33:32,767 --> 00:33:34,968
A construction block
that could be deployed

550
00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:39,367
in new territories easily,
and above all, quickly.

551
00:33:41,767 --> 00:33:44,634
[Vranich] For the Inca,
the basic block of construction

552
00:33:44,767 --> 00:33:47,067
is the kancha.

553
00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:51,267
[Narrator] The kancha serves
as a framework for houses,

554
00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,901
palaces and even temples.

555
00:33:55,033 --> 00:33:58,400
♪ ♪

556
00:33:58,534 --> 00:34:02,334
A large rectangular enclosure
with several courtyards

557
00:34:02,467 --> 00:34:05,701
and thatch-roofed
buildings inside.

558
00:34:07,601 --> 00:34:09,132
[Vranich] So this
really demonstrates

559
00:34:09,266 --> 00:34:11,534
an idea of urban planning
that doesn't exist

560
00:34:11,667 --> 00:34:14,701
in other parts of the continent.

561
00:34:15,734 --> 00:34:19,434
[Pozzi-Escot] The Inca sites
follow a pattern

562
00:34:19,567 --> 00:34:21,934
that is repeated everywhere,

563
00:34:22,067 --> 00:34:25,400
which clearly
demonstrates control.

564
00:34:25,534 --> 00:34:30,766
They imposed a whole system of
control throughout the empire.

565
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,234
[Narrator] To control more than
just structures in the empire,

566
00:34:38,367 --> 00:34:43,766
the Incas kept detailed records
of livestock, harvests,

567
00:34:43,900 --> 00:34:48,766
and workforce with an
incredible accounting system.

568
00:34:52,833 --> 00:34:57,634
Knotted cords, found across
multiple archaeological sites,

569
00:34:57,767 --> 00:35:01,567
form the secret code
of the Incas.

570
00:35:03,901 --> 00:35:04,934
[Giannina Bardales Aranibar,
dubbed] We are looking at

571
00:35:05,067 --> 00:35:07,167
an Inca khipu.

572
00:35:07,300 --> 00:35:10,868
Although it looks like
an ornament or even a necklace,

573
00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,767
it is in fact an object that
was used to record information.

574
00:35:18,801 --> 00:35:21,133
[Narrator] Khipus are
a sophisticated

575
00:35:21,267 --> 00:35:23,467
management system.

576
00:35:23,601 --> 00:35:27,901
They are woolen or cotton
threads with several knots

577
00:35:28,033 --> 00:35:32,367
at different levels,
in different sizes and colors.

578
00:35:32,501 --> 00:35:35,934
[Aranibar] In this case,
the knots represent quantities.

579
00:35:36,067 --> 00:35:40,367
They use a decimal system that
goes from units, tens, hundreds,

580
00:35:41,434 --> 00:35:45,133
and can reach thousands,
even tens of thousands.

581
00:35:47,634 --> 00:35:49,667
They use knots from one to nine.

582
00:35:49,801 --> 00:35:52,334
If there are only
six knots in a rope,

583
00:35:52,467 --> 00:35:55,667
it means that six units
have been recorded.

584
00:35:55,801 --> 00:35:58,968
But in some rope, we can see
that there are knots

585
00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:01,734
at different level.

586
00:36:01,868 --> 00:36:06,367
We know that the lowest knot
always represents the units.

587
00:36:06,501 --> 00:36:09,434
If we have three knots here,
two knots further up,

588
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:11,167
and one knot at the top,

589
00:36:11,300 --> 00:36:17,701
this means that
the number 123 is involved.

590
00:36:17,834 --> 00:36:21,234
[Narrator] Specialists, like
Giannina, are able to decipher

591
00:36:21,367 --> 00:36:22,701
this counting system,

592
00:36:22,834 --> 00:36:27,200
but they don’t yet understand
the full picture.

593
00:36:27,334 --> 00:36:29,100
[Aranibar] We aren't yet
in a position to know

594
00:36:29,234 --> 00:36:32,467
exactly what is being recorded.

595
00:36:33,334 --> 00:36:34,667
We only understand
the quantities.

596
00:36:34,801 --> 00:36:37,734
We can count the knots and know
that, for example, here

597
00:36:37,868 --> 00:36:40,801
there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

598
00:36:41,434 --> 00:36:42,767
there are 17 of them.

599
00:36:42,901 --> 00:36:48,834
The number recorded is 17, but
of what exactly, we don’t know.

600
00:36:48,968 --> 00:36:52,567
[Narrator] The only certainty
is that the khipus were key

601
00:36:52,701 --> 00:36:55,501
to the management
of the empire.

602
00:36:55,634 --> 00:36:57,334
[Aranibar] We are faced
with a complex system

603
00:36:57,467 --> 00:36:59,467
for recording information,

604
00:37:00,734 --> 00:37:03,467
but can be compared to what
we do today via spreadsheet.

605
00:37:03,601 --> 00:37:05,934
The khipus record
all this information,

606
00:37:06,067 --> 00:37:07,467
which is essential
for maintaining

607
00:37:07,601 --> 00:37:12,400
the political and economic
organization of the empire.

608
00:37:14,167 --> 00:37:15,234
[Falcón] There are
accounting khipu,

609
00:37:15,367 --> 00:37:17,701
but there are also
narrative khipu.

610
00:37:19,734 --> 00:37:21,868
[Narrator] Incredible
as it may sound,

611
00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:27,968
these cords were also used
to record stories.

612
00:37:28,100 --> 00:37:30,868
[speaking Spanish]

613
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,267
[Falcón] Narrative khipu provide
information on genealogies

614
00:37:35,167 --> 00:37:38,868
to tell stories,
myths or traditions.

615
00:37:41,701 --> 00:37:44,067
But this type of khipu
was rarer.

616
00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:47,601
It was mainly used
by the elites.

617
00:37:49,767 --> 00:37:51,968
[Narrator] In particular,
to record the lives

618
00:37:52,100 --> 00:37:54,133
of the emperors.

619
00:37:58,501 --> 00:38:03,167
[Narrator] For a long time,
archaeologists and historians

620
00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:04,934
have wondered
about the creation

621
00:38:05,067 --> 00:38:09,267
of the roads, canals
and districts.

622
00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,334
How did the Incas
achieve this feat,

623
00:38:12,467 --> 00:38:16,501
designing monumental
infrastructure across the Andes

624
00:38:16,634 --> 00:38:21,234
and Pacific coast
in such a short space of time?

625
00:38:25,267 --> 00:38:26,667
♪ ♪

626
00:38:26,801 --> 00:38:33,000
♪ ♪

627
00:38:33,133 --> 00:38:36,534
A few kilometers from Cusco,

628
00:38:36,667 --> 00:38:39,234
the Pikillacta site
lifts the veil

629
00:38:39,367 --> 00:38:42,033
on the Incas’ secret weapon.

630
00:38:42,167 --> 00:38:46,033
♪ ♪

631
00:38:46,167 --> 00:38:49,734
[Velarde] The architecture
is monumental.

632
00:38:49,868 --> 00:38:52,667
We have over 700 structures.

633
00:38:53,534 --> 00:38:54,667
So we have a set
of characteristics

634
00:38:54,801 --> 00:38:59,100
that make us think of
a fairly complex society.

635
00:38:59,234 --> 00:39:01,467
♪ ♪

636
00:39:01,601 --> 00:39:04,667
[Narrator]
With its rectangular plazas,

637
00:39:04,801 --> 00:39:07,300
narrow streets,

638
00:39:07,801 --> 00:39:09,300
stone walls,

639
00:39:09,434 --> 00:39:11,501
and trapezoidal shapes,

640
00:39:11,634 --> 00:39:16,367
Pikillacta has the hallmarks
of an Inca city.

641
00:39:16,501 --> 00:39:19,267
♪ ♪

642
00:39:21,868 --> 00:39:24,634
[Velarde] You get the impression
you're on an Inca site,

643
00:39:24,767 --> 00:39:25,934
but it’s not.

644
00:39:26,067 --> 00:39:30,234
The archaeological excavations
of the early 1950s identified

645
00:39:30,367 --> 00:39:32,501
that although the architecture
was quite similar

646
00:39:32,634 --> 00:39:35,334
because of these right angles,

647
00:39:35,467 --> 00:39:38,834
the orthogonality, the presence
of roads, there was a problem.

648
00:39:38,968 --> 00:39:42,267
It’s not an Inca city.
It's a much older city.

649
00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:46,133
It’s a Wari city
from the Wari Empire.

650
00:39:50,100 --> 00:39:51,767
[Narrator] Without
the Wari people,

651
00:39:51,901 --> 00:39:56,234
the Inca civilization might
never have existed.

652
00:39:56,367 --> 00:39:59,367
From infrastructure and
agricultural techniques,

653
00:39:59,501 --> 00:40:03,300
to political organization,
the Wari's vast influence

654
00:40:03,434 --> 00:40:07,467
on the Sons of the Sun
is evident.

655
00:40:07,601 --> 00:40:10,634
Between the 6th
and 11th century,

656
00:40:10,767 --> 00:40:15,334
the Wari people's empire
stretched across northern Peru

657
00:40:15,467 --> 00:40:19,534
and the Andres all the way
to the Pacific coast.

658
00:40:19,667 --> 00:40:22,234
[Itier] The Wari Empire's
main city was 30 kilometers

659
00:40:22,367 --> 00:40:25,734
from Cusco in the ancestral
land of the Incas.

660
00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:30,000
The Wari people and
the Incas' ancestors

661
00:40:30,133 --> 00:40:31,234
were close collaborators,

662
00:40:31,367 --> 00:40:35,767
incorporated in building
and producing.

663
00:40:36,667 --> 00:40:37,501
We can assume that
some Wari politics

664
00:40:37,634 --> 00:40:39,400
were passed on to the Incas,

665
00:40:39,534 --> 00:40:42,267
even if it wasn't until
200 years after the collapse

666
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:47,100
of the Wari that the Incas
began to forge their state.

667
00:40:47,234 --> 00:40:50,901
There is a transfer of
knowledge between the two.

668
00:40:54,234 --> 00:40:55,601
[Velarde] The Wari laid
the foundations

669
00:40:55,734 --> 00:40:59,734
of what would become
the Inca Empire.

670
00:40:59,868 --> 00:41:04,234
The creation of the Inca road
network called the Qhapaq Nan

671
00:41:04,367 --> 00:41:06,734
had its origins in Wari.

672
00:41:06,868 --> 00:41:10,601
Inca engineering also comes
from the Wari period.

673
00:41:14,033 --> 00:41:17,701
[Narrator] Many engineering
feats attributed to the Incas

674
00:41:17,834 --> 00:41:21,000
were in fact invented
by the Wari,

675
00:41:21,133 --> 00:41:24,300
including some
of the most iconic.

676
00:41:26,701 --> 00:41:29,400
[Itier] The khipus that were
so important and indispensable

677
00:41:29,534 --> 00:41:31,534
in the administration
of the Inca Empire

678
00:41:31,667 --> 00:41:34,734
were originally an invention
of the Wari state.

679
00:41:37,734 --> 00:41:40,767
[Pozzi-Escot] The Inca Empire
is the product

680
00:41:40,901 --> 00:41:43,868
of a series of past knowledge.

681
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,567
For example, we know that
at the time of the Wari,

682
00:41:47,701 --> 00:41:50,667
there were already
administrative centers

683
00:41:50,801 --> 00:41:55,100
and important cities.

684
00:41:55,234 --> 00:41:57,834
[Narrator]
Administration, roads,

685
00:41:57,968 --> 00:42:00,701
technology, tools.

686
00:42:01,734 --> 00:42:02,501
The Incas did not
write their history

687
00:42:02,634 --> 00:42:04,701
from a blank sheet of paper.

688
00:42:04,834 --> 00:42:07,868
They harvested this knowledge
from seeds planted and grown

689
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,534
centuries before them.

690
00:42:10,667 --> 00:42:12,167
[Velarde] The genius
of the Incas was to know

691
00:42:12,300 --> 00:42:14,968
how to utilize their ancestors.

692
00:42:15,100 --> 00:42:17,067
The Incas are in fact
the culmination

693
00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:20,834
of a long and great history
in Andean Peru.

694
00:42:23,601 --> 00:42:26,300
[Narrator] Many civilizations
predating the Incas

695
00:42:26,434 --> 00:42:29,667
have remained hidden
in their shadow.

696
00:42:29,801 --> 00:42:34,701
At the end of the 15th century,
Túpac Yupanqui died.

697
00:42:34,834 --> 00:42:39,634
But he would remain remembered
as the greatest Inca conqueror.

698
00:42:39,767 --> 00:42:43,701
His empire extended
thousands of kilometers,

699
00:42:43,834 --> 00:42:47,267
his administration
was powerful,

700
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:51,200
and he amassed
considerable wealth.

701
00:42:51,567 --> 00:42:53,901
♪ ♪

702
00:42:54,033 --> 00:42:59,200
Yupanqui elevated his
vast empire to its peak.

703
00:43:00,534 --> 00:43:04,167
But his descendants
would be left vulnerable.

704
00:43:08,834 --> 00:43:11,067
By the early 16th century,

705
00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:16,934
the Sons of the Sun ruled over
almost 10 million people.

706
00:43:18,701 --> 00:43:23,767
Despite different cultures and
languages in their territory,

707
00:43:23,901 --> 00:43:28,267
the Incas administered
and fed their people,

708
00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:31,434
extracted wealth

709
00:43:31,567 --> 00:43:36,000
and enriched the empire.

710
00:43:36,133 --> 00:43:38,868
After a meteoric expansion,

711
00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:43,467
the golden age of the Empire
of the Sun would begin.

712
00:43:43,834 --> 00:43:50,033
♪ ♪

713
00:43:50,167 --> 00:43:56,100
♪ ♪

714
00:43:56,234 --> 00:44:01,801
♪ ♪