Who conquered the Inca Empire?

The Inca Empire was conquered by Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador. His successful campaign against the Incas began in the early 1530s when he captured the Inca ruler Atahualpa during the Battle of Cajamarca. Pizarro's strategic planning and the use of advanced weaponry, along with alliances with local tribes that opposed Inca rule, enabled him to defeat a much larger Inca force. After capturing Atahualpa, Pizarro effectively undermined the political structure of the empire, and with the execution of the Inca leader, he solidified Spanish control over the region. Pizarro's conquest marked a significant moment in the Spanish colonization of South America, leading to the establishment of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru.

The other individuals mentioned played different roles in early Spanish exploration of the Americas. Diego de Almagro was an associate of Pizarro and was involved in the conquest of parts of Peru, but he did not conquer the Inca Empire himself. Hernán Cortés is known for his conquest of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico, not the Incas. Vasco Núñez de Balboa is famous for crossing the Isthmus of Panama and being