Rebellion of Tupac Amaru II

In 1780 the Indigenous leader Tupac Amaru II launched a massive uprising against Spanish colonial rule in the Andes.

Overview

Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui, a kuraka who claimed descent from the last Inca ruler, took the name Tupac Amaru II and rose in November 1780 after seizing and executing the corregidor Antonio de Arriaga. The rebellion drew on grievances over forced labor, the forced sale of goods, and new taxes, and it spread across southern Peru and Upper Peru. Tupac Amaru II was captured and executed in Cusco in May 1781 along with members of his family, including his wife Micaela Bastidas. Fighting continued under other leaders, including Tupac Katari, who besieged La Paz. Tens of thousands died. The uprising became a lasting symbol of Indigenous resistance in Latin America.