South American History

South American History

Period: Jan 1, 1040 to Jan 1, 1527

Reformation

Jan 1, 1200

The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of several other Christian churches, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists.

Prince Henry the Navigator opens the great Portuguese "Age of Exploration."

Jan 1, 1297

In 1297, with the reconquista completed, king Dinis of Portugal took personal interest in exports and in 1317 he made an agreement with Genoese merchant sailor Manuel Pessanha (Pesagno), appointing him first Admiral of the Portuguese navy, with the goal of defending the country against Muslim pirate raids.Outbreaks of bubonic plague led to severe depopulation in the second half of the 14th century: only the sea offered alternatives, with most population settling in fishing and trading coast.

Kingdom of Chimor conquers Chimú state of Sicán

Jan 1, 1370

The Chimú grew out of the remnants of the Moche culture. The first valleys seem to have joined forces willingly, but Sican was acquired through conquest. They also were significantly influenced by the Cajamarca culture and the Huari. According to legend the capital Chan Chan was founded by Taycanamo who arrived in the area by sea.
Chimor was the last kingdom that had any chance of stopping the Inca. But the Inca conquest was begun in the 1470s by Tupac Inca, defeating the local emperor Minchanca

John Wycliffe, Precursor of Reformation

Jan 1, 1380

The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe, was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes.

Traditional date for reign of Yahuar Huacac of Cuzco kingdom; conquers the Chancas

Jan 7, 1380

That is how the civilization of the Incas was created according to one of their own legends. But the reality was far from that simple, nonetheless it's a fascinating and enthralling journey back in time, to the dawn of the people and their state which in the end would become one of the mightiest and the largest empires in the whole of America. They were called the Incas which roughly mean "the ruling people", and we first find them just north of Lake Titicaca in the 1200's, in what today is sout

Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas

Jan 1, 1430

The Incas started building it around AD 1430 but was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was said to have been forgotten for centuries when the site was brought to worldwide attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. It has recently come to light that the site may have been discovered.

Pachacuti becomes ruler of Cuzco kingdom; beginning of the Inca empire

Jan 7, 1438

Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (or Pachacutec) was the ninth Sapa Inca (1438-1471/1472) of the Kingdom of Cusco, which he transformed into the empire Tawantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire. Most archaeologists now believe that the famous Inca site of Machu Picchu was built as an estate for Pachacuti. In Quechua, Pachakutiq means "He who shakes the Earth", and Yupanqui means "With honor".

Ferdinand II and Isabella I unite the crowns of Aragon and Castille in Spain.

Jan 21, 1450

After Isabella's death in 1504, her kingdom went to their daughter Joanna. Ferdinand II served as the latter's regent during her absence in the Netherlands, ruled by her husband Archduke Philip. Ferdinand attempted to retain the regency permanently, but was rebuffed by the Castilian nobility and replaced with Joanna's husband, who became Philip I of Castile. After Philip's death in 1506, with Joanna supposedly mentally unstable, and her and Philip's son the future Charles 5 was only six years ol

Tupaq Inca Tupaq Inca appointed head of Inca army; conquers territories to the north

Jan 1, 1463

His father appointed him to head the Inca army in 1463. He extended the realm northward along the Andes through modern Ecuador, and developed a special fondness for the city of Quito, which he rebuilt with architects from Cuzco. During this time his father Pachacuti reorganized the kingdom of Cuzco into the Tahuantinsuyu, the "four provinces". He became Inca in his turn upon his father's death in 1471, ruling until his own death in 1493. He conquered Chimor, which occupied the northern coast of

Incas conquer Chimú empire

Jan 1, 1470

The Chimú were the residents of Chimor, with its capital at the city of Chan Chan, a large adobe city in the Moche Valley of present-day Trujillo, Peru. The culture arose about 900 AD. The Inca ruler Tupac Inca Yupanqui led a campaign which conquered the Chimú around 1470 AD,

Columbus becomes first European to sight South American mainland

Oct 12, 1492

The term "pre-Columbian" is usually used to refer to the peoples and cultures of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus and his European successors. The name Christopher Columbus is the Anglicisation of the Latin Christophorus Columbus. His name in his native 15th century Genoese language was Christoffa Corombo and the Italian language version of the name is Cristoforo Colombo. Columbus's initial 1492 voyage came at a critical time of emer

Treaty of Tordesillas

Jul 2, 1494

The lands to the east would belong to Portugal and the lands to the west to Spain. The treaty was ratified by Spain, 2 July 1494 and by Portugal, 5 September 1494. The other side of the world would be divided a few decades later by the Treaty of Zaragoza or Saragossa, signed on 22 April 1529, which specified the antimeridian to the line of demarcation specified in the Treaty of Tordesillas. Originals of both treaties are kept at the Archivo General of indians.

Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci explores northeast South America

Jan 7, 1499

At the invitation of king Manuel I of Portugal, Vespucci participated as observer in several voyages that explored the east coast of South America between 1499 and 1502.

Pedro Álvares Cabral sights Brazilian coast on voyage to India, reaches Brazil and sails on to India

Jan 7, 1500

Pedro Álvares Cabral Portuguese pronunciation:in European Portuguese or in Brazilian Portuguese; c. 1467 or 1468 – c. 1520) was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. While details of Cabral's early life are sketchy, it is known that he came from a minor noble.

Atahualpa, Incan Emperor

Jan 1, 1502

Atahualpa, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa, or Atawallpa, was the last Sapa Inca or sovereign emperor of the Tahuantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire. Born in what is now Cusco, Perú, Atahualpa was the offspring of Inca Huayna Capac and Pacha Duchicela, a Quiteña princess and first-born of Cacha Duchicela. The union was a politically expedient one, as the southern Ecuadorian Andes had been conquered by Inca Huayna Capac's father, Inca Túpac Inca Yupanqui.

Pizarro, Conqueror Inca Empire

Jan 1, 1513

On 13 February 1502, Pizarro sailed from Spain with the newly appointed Governor of Hispaniola, Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, on a fleet of 30 ships. It was the largest fleet that had ever sailed to the New World. The 30 ships carried 2,500 colonists.Pizarro in PanamaIn 1513, Pizarro accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his crossing of the Isthmus of Panama and they became the first Europeans to view the Pacific coast of the New World.

Vasco Nuñez de Balboa views the "South Sea" from Panama, the Pacific Ocean.

Jan 1, 1513

The unexpected news of a new sea, rich in gold, was received by Balboa with great interest. He returned to Santa María at the beginning of 1513 to recruit more men from Hispaniola. It was there that he learned that Fernández de Enciso had told the colonial authorities what had happened at Santa María. After seeing that there would be no assistance from Hispaniola, Balboa sent Enrique de Colmenares directly to Spain to look for help.

Inca ruler Huayna Capac dies, leaving two rival claimants to the throne, civil war ensues

Jan 7, 1525

Pizarro and his men had the fortune of ascending into the Andes just as Atahualpa was returning to Cuzco after successful conclusion of his northern campaigns. After launching a surprise attack in Cajamarca and massacring upward of 6,000 Incan soldiers, Pizarro took Atahualpa prisoner. To secure his release, Atahualpa pledged to fill a room of approximately 88 cubic meters with precious golden objects, the famous Atahualpa’s Ransom Room. Over the next months, trains of porters carted precious ob

Huáscar becomes ruler of the Inca empire

Jan 1, 1527

After the conquest, the Spanish put forth the idea that Huayna Capac may have intended Huáscar to be the Emperor, and his half-brother Atahualpa to be the governor of the Quito province. Then Huayna Capac and his initial heir Ninan Cuyochi died prematurely without naming a successor. Without a clear line of succession, a war broke out between Huáscar and his brother Atahualpa.

Bingham, Machu Picchu

Jan 1, 1911

Hiram Bingham III was an American academic, explorer and politician. He rediscovered the Inca settlement of Machu Picchu in 1911. Later, Bingham served as Governor of Connecticut and a member of the United States Senate. Machu Picchu has become one of the major tourist attractions in South America, and Bingham is recognized as the man who brought the site to world attention, although many others contributed to the archaeological resurrection of the site.