Tom Holland

So if the Spaniards want to unite the empire under Manco, they will have to beat Atahualpa's former generals, two of whom, I mean, they've already burned Chalcochima, but two of them are on the loose.

So one of them is this guy, Kiskis, who had previously been in Cusco.

He's been driven north from Cusco.

He still probably has about 20,000 men, so quite battle-hardened troops at this point.

Most of Kis Kis's men, although they're battle-hardened, they are exhausted.

They've been on the road for, what, two years?

And they want to go home to Ecuador.

And so he's trudging back all this time towards Ecuador with a gigantic mob.

I mean, thousands of llamas and porters carrying all their stuff.

So bear them in mind.

But there is another general up in the north who is a very ruthless man.

And this is a guy called Ruminyawi.

And he enters this story with some very colorful behavior, which we have been trailing extensively.

So basically, after Atahualpa died, there was a question among the northerners about who would succeed him as the claimant.

Atahualpa had a brother called Kiliskacha.

And he said, well, I'll do it.

And it's not clear whether he wants to be emperor himself or regent for Atahualpa's sons.

Anyway, Ruminyawi, who was the commander, the military commander, he said, you want to do it?

Great.

Let's have a big wake for Atahualpa.