Spain won at Cajamarca on 16 November 1532, when 168 conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro ambushed the Inca emperor Atahualpa in the middle of his own realm and took him alive. The capture of the living god-king paralyzed the Inca Empire.
An ambush, not a battle
Atahualpa entered the main square with several thousand mostly unarmed attendants. The Spanish attacked by surprise, and the emperor was taken prisoner.1
Our article on the Battle of Cajamarca covers the ambush and what followed. › Battle of Cajamarca, 1532
Also on this day
1632: Battle of Lützen. A Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus, with Saxon and Hessian support, attacked Albrecht von Wallenstein's Imperial forces at Lützen in a major battle of the Thirty Years' War.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Cajamarca?
It took place on 16 November 1532 in the main square of Cajamarca, in the highlands of northern Peru, during the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
How many Spaniards were there?
Francisco Pizarro had about 168 men, roughly 106 on foot and 62 on horseback, with a few small cannon and firearms.
Was it really a battle?
It was more an ambush and massacre than a battle. The Spanish attacked by surprise in the square.
Notes
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