This exorbitant ransom is one of the highest ever paid in human history.
Despite his efforts, Atahualpa was executed after a mock trial by his captors.
However, Atahualpa’s reign proved to be fleeting.
In a brief and brutal encounter, the Inca forces were decimated, and Atahualpa found himself captured.
He observed their plundering of Inca encampments and temples in Cajamarca, witnessing the looting of precious treasures.
Atahualpa grasped the stark reality that his freedom hinged upon his ability to pay a ransom.
The room was 22 feet long and 17 feet wide.
Atahualpa, being a tall man, could reach his hand to over eight feet.
This height is now marked by a red line.
To expedite the process, the Spaniards pulverized bulkier items, ensuring a slower accumulation within the chamber.
This amassed treasure was then melted down, refined into 22-karat gold, and meticulously tallied.
Atahualpa was sentenced to death by burning at the stake.
He was executed by strangling with a garrote on July 26, 1533.
The execution of Atahualpa.
Made of volcanic stone, its condition is said to be spalling, aggravated by pollution and weather fluctuations.
