Outfitting for Battle

By its height in the early 16th century, the Inca Empire had conquered and absorbed hundreds of other chiefdoms and spanned over 772,000 square miles. Its warriors remained undefeated in battle for nearly a century before falling to the Spanish at the Siege of Lima. How did some 200 European adventurers manage to take down a chiefdom so mighty? Part of the answer lies in resources, specifically the horses, iron, and steel the Spanish had at their disposal. In this interactive artist's rendering, compare Inca and conquistador soldiers to see how markedly their dress and weaponry differed—differences that played a decisive role in the fall of the Inca Empire.—Rima Chaddha

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© | Created June 2007