The Rest Is History Podcast – Episode 646: The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)

Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook
Release Date: February 23, 2026
Topic: The conquest of the Inca Empire, focusing on Atahualpa's capture, the immense ransom of gold, and the emperor's tragic end.

Episode Overview

This gripping episode dives into the pivotal and dramatic moment at the heart of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire: the capture of Atahualpa, the negotiations for his immense ransom, and his eventual execution by the conquistadors—ultimately sealing the fate of the Incan civilization. Tom and Dominic bring the ethical dilemmas, cultural misunderstandings, and historic consequences of these events vividly to life, exploring the personalities and motivations at play.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Incomparable Ransom: Atahualpa's Dilemma (02:35–16:13)

• Dramatic Introduction: The episode opens with a reading from Peter Shaffer’s play, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, evoking the grandiosity and desperation as Atahualpa commands his people to deliver gold for his ransom.

• Childhood Impressions: Both hosts recall first encountering the scene of the “room filled with gold” in childhood history books—an almost unbelievable scenario.

  • “If he doesn't get enough gold to reach that white line, he's gonna die. If he does get enough gold to reach that white line, well, what then?” (04:20 – Sandbrook)

• Historical Context Recap: Pizarro and the conquistadors capture Atahualpa after a brutal ambush at Cajamarca. Huascar, Atahualpa’s brother and rival, is also mentioned as a captive.

• The Deal: Atahualpa, realizing the Spanish obsession with gold (which was purely ceremonial for the Incas), offers a ransom: fill a room with gold “as high as he could reach” and twice over with silver within two months for his freedom.

  • “Atahualpa said he would fill it with gold jars, pots, tiles and other pieces…within two months.” (08:25 – Sandbrook)

• Strategic Propositions: Atahualpa’s offer is both negotiation and a stalling tactic. He never sends for gold from his own region (Quito), instead targeting areas loyal to his rival or deemed problematic for his rule.

2. Cultural Collisions and Court Intrigue (15:13–20:28)

• Atahualpa’s Persona: Spanish chroniclers marvel at Atahualpa’s bearing—an “alpha male” figure who enjoyed ritual and luxury, including drinking beer from a skull-cup fashioned from a rival’s head.

  • “Would you drink from the severed head of one of your...?”
    “Yeah, I think I would, yeah.” (14:23 – Holland & Sandbrook, joking)

• Mechanics of Rule: The Sapa Inca is an intermediary between the divine and earthly realms; his authority, now controlled by the Spaniards, renders the empire essentially leaderless.

  • “By becoming Sapa Inca, you effectively become...an intermediary between the dimensions of the earthly and the supernatural.” (17:10 – Holland)

• Civil War Lens: Atahualpa and his generals remain trapped in the mindset of civil war, underestimating the scale or permanence of the Spanish threat.

3. The Ransom’s Logistics and Incan Response (22:33–32:05)

• Gold Collection & Destruction: The Spanish begin melting down ornate Inca treasures to fit more in the room and easily transport it. Atahualpa offers up sacred temples (including Coricancha in Cuzco and Pachacamac) to meet the Spanish demands.

• Profiting from Division: The Spanish benefit from the Inca’s fractured leadership—Atahualpa’s generals are paralyzed, local resistance lacks direction, and the Spanish exploit indigenous rivalries (including the Wanka, which prompts some wry humor).

  • Notable moment:
    “I omitted all mention of these people, the Wanker, for precisely this reason because I thought you would get too much schoolboyish pleasure...” (29:49 – Sandbrook)

• Chalco Chima’s Capture: A key general, Chalco Chima, is duped into captivity when summoned by the Spaniards, a move seen as pivotal in breaking Incan military resistance.

4. The Final Days – Betrayal and Execution (33:33–62:57)

• Tensions Among Spaniards: Arrival of Pizarro’s partner, Diego de Almagro, with reinforcements reshuffles alliances and escalates tensions.

• Atahualpa’s Despair: As the ransom is paid, Atahualpa realizes the Spanish will never honor their promise to release him.

  • “For the first time, Pizarro says to him, we are going to stay and we are going to divide up your workers, your people among ourselves…And this is a huge shock for Atahualpa.” (40:32 – Sandbrook)

• Distribution of Loot: The accumulated gold and silver—billions in today’s terms—is melted and divided, with Pizarro’s men and the king of Spain taking the lion’s share. Almagro, late to arrive, feels short-changed, sowing future discord.

• Rumors and Paranoia: Fears of an imminent rescue by Inca forces (possibly led by the general Rumiñahui) fuel Spanish paranoia. Allegations—possibly false—mount that Atahualpa is plotting against the Spaniards.

• Debate and Kangaroo Court: Torn by legality and utility, the Spanish leaders debate Atahualpa’s fate. Some favor clemency due to honor, others demand his death, fearing him as a symbol of resistance.

  • “Killing an emperor who you've promised life to... it's not a good look, is it? From the perspective of the Spanish court?” (54:43 – Holland)

• Trial and Execution: Atahualpa is put through a sham trial, accused of myriad crimes—some fabricated or exaggerated; eventually he is sentenced to death by burning. To preserve his hope of an afterlife, he accepts baptism, after which he is garrotted (strangled) rather than burned.

  • “The Spanish... promised him he would not be burned. Now they don't burn him to ashes. They grill him. They give him a grilling, and then they leave his grilled body in the square overnight, quote, for everyone to learn of his death as basically a message.” (62:20 – Sandbrook)

• Aftermath and Spanish Reaction: Hernando de Soto returns, furious at Atahualpa's death; Spanish chroniclers and even Charles V condemn Pizarro’s action.

  • “Most Spanish chroniclers agreed that Pizarro had done the wrong thing…‘The killing of so great a prince was an infamous disservice to God and the emperor, an act of great ingratitude and outstanding evil.’” (64:07 – Sandbrook)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Spanish lust for gold:
  “It dawns on the Spanish, I think at this point, my God, these people place no value on gold and silver other than aesthetic. It's pretty. So these guys like it and bigwigs have it, but it has no monetary value to them because, of course, the Incas don't have money.” (08:25 – Sandbrook)

• On Atahualpa’s strategic thinking:
  “If these messengers are going out... they can communicate his wishes to his people and bring back messengers to him.” (12:01 – Holland).

• On imperial leadership:
  “By becoming Sapa Inca, you effectively become...an intermediary between the dimensions of the earthly and the supernatural.” (17:10 – Holland)

• On cultural misunderstandings:
  “I think he is trapped by the context of the civil war. Intellectually, he sees everything through the prism of his struggle with Huascar... The Spanish think the civil war is an incidental detail in their big story.” (12:31 – Sandbrook)

• On Spanish and Inca legalities:
  “His entire governorship depends on royal approval…killing an emperor who you've promised life to…it's not a good look, is it? From the perspective of the Spanish court?” (54:43–54:49 – Holland)

• On Atahualpa’s execution:
  “Atahualpa is garrotted. So that is the end of him. But a couple more details… They grill him...and then they leave his grilled body in the square overnight, quote, ‘for everyone to learn of his death as basically a message.’” (62:21 – Sandbrook)

• On the historical verdict:
  “Most Spanish chroniclers agreed that Pizarro had done the wrong thing…‘The killing of so great a prince was an infamous disservice to God and the emperor, an act of great ingratitude and outstanding evil.’” (64:07 – Sandbrook)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 02:35 – Atahualpa’s ransom and the infamous “room of gold”
• 08:25 – The Inca attitude toward gold and Atahualpa’s bargaining
• 14:23 – Rituals of Atahualpa and Spanish fascination
• 22:33 – Practicalities and politics of collecting the ransom
• 29:37 – Chalco Chima’s surrender and the weakening of Inca resistance
• 33:33 – Arrival of Almagro and the escalated schism among conquistadors
• 40:32 – Atahualpa realizes the Spanish will not let him go
• 46:02 – Distribution of the gold and the seeds of discord
• 54:43 – Debating Atahualpa’s fate; legal and moral conflict
• 61:39 – Atahualpa’s execution and Spanish rationalizations
• 64:07 – Criticism and condemnation of Pizarro by contemporaries

Tone and Style

Tom and Dominic combine scholarly analysis with dark British wit, storytelling flair, and the occasional irreverent aside (including schoolboy jokes and pop culture analogies). They delve deep yet remain accessible, driven by palpable outrage at the tragedy of the conquest and a deep empathy for both the victims and some conflicted perpetrators.

Closing & What’s Next

The episode closes with Pizarro’s position newly precarious: Atahualpa is dead, Spain is displeased, allies are fracturing, and the Spanish must now march on to Cuzco—into a heart of darkness that promises even bloodier drama.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a masterful retelling of one of world history’s most consequential encounters: the collision of the Inca Empire at its zenith with a handful of Spanish adventurers. Through vivid narration, critical context, and poignant reflection, Tom and Dominic reveal how gold, greed, political intrigue, and misunderstanding combined to end an empire—and changed the fate of continents forever.