El cuarto de rescate

I won't take the time to write out the whole story of the defeat of the Incan empire, the death of Atahualpa and the "ransom room" here featured.  However, I would encouraged you to google "Ransom Room Cajamarca Peru" and at least read the summarized wikipedia version of the story.  It's really quite fascinating and a good history lesson at the same time.  :-) 

*Author's Note: I have attempted to translate all signs that I photographed in the "cuarto de rescate."  However, due to several factors: primarily lack of punctuation and old Spanish vocabulary and grammar, I do not claim to have translated with 100% accuracy.  If anyone has a correction to make, I would be delighted to receive it.  

And as the Indians were without weapons, they were defeated without endangering a single Christian.  Those that brought the ??? (Andas – I’m not sure if this refers to the Incan ruler or if it would refer to the chair that they would have carried him in on their shoulders.) and those that came surrounding him never forsook him until they all died around him. 

Hernando Pizarro, 1533

So that although he had been sentenced to be burned alive, they wrapped a cord around his neck, and in this way, he was strangled

Pedro Sancho, 1534

The chief said that he would give them as much gold as would fit in a room that was there, up to a white line that was in it, that a tall man could not reach with his hand.

Cristobal de Mena, 1534

This said Atahualpa was a well-disposed Indian and of good presence, of good flesh.  Not overly heavy.  Fair of face and solemn within it, his grim eyes.  When they took this man down from the pole on which they had killed him, his Indians came and digged in the earth where his feet had been and carried away four toes as relics. 

Pedro Pizarro, 1571

*I’m especially not sure that I’m translating that last part right, but it’s what Ookyoung and I got out of it. 

Main room of the house of the chief of the seven (?) of Cajamarca, which according to tradition, Atahualpa offered to fill with gold and silver for his ransom….There is no one to give record regarding the shape of its door; that which is here manifested is only that which is it currently has.  Its roof was nearly flat with very little incline. The said chief had made it with shears… in order to allow the water to run off of it.  The walls have been raised slightly with adobe.

Baltazar Martínez de Compañón, 1782