Pachacuti
Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, also called Pachacutec (Quechua: Pachakutiq Inka Yupanki), was the ninth Sapa Inca (before 1438 – 1471) of the Kingdom of Cusco which he transformed into the Inca Empire (Quechua: Tawantinsuyu). Most archaeologists now believe that the famous Inca site of Machu Picchu was built as an estate for Pachacuti.
| Pachacuti | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pachacuti, 17th century painting, anonymous. | |||||
| Sapa Inca of the Inca Empire | |||||
| Reign | 1438–1471 | ||||
| Predecessor | Viracocha | ||||
| Successor | Túpac Inca Yupanqui | ||||
| Born | before 1438 Cusicancha Palace, Cusco, Inca Empire, modern-day Peru | ||||
| Died | 1471 Patallacta Palace, Cusco, Inca Empire, modern-day Peru | ||||
| Consort | Mama Anawarkhi or Quya Anawarkhi | ||||
| Issue | Tupac Yupanqui, Amaru Topa Inca | ||||
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| Quechua | Pachakutiq Inka Yupanki | ||||
| Spanish | Pachacútec Inca Yupanqui | ||||
| Dynasty | Hanan Qusqu | ||||
| Father | Viracocha Inca | ||||
| Mother | Mama Runtu | ||||
In Quechua Pachakutiq means "reformer of the world", and Yupanki means "with honor". During his reign, Cusco grew from a hamlet into an empire that could compete with, and eventually overtake, the Chimú. He began an era of conquest that, within three generations, expanded the Inca dominion from the valley of Cusco to a sizeable part of western South America. According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, Pachacuti created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere. Pachacuti is often linked to the origin and expansion of the Inti Sun Cult.