Inca Garcilaso de la Vega

Hello! My name is Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, but the world remembers me as Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. I want to tell you my story, which begins in a very special time and place. I was born on April 12th, 1539, in the city of Cuzco, which was once the grand capital of the Inca Empire in what is now Peru. My life was a bridge between two very different worlds. My father, Captain Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega, was a Spanish conquistador who had traveled across the ocean. My mother, Isabel Chimpu Ocllo, was an Inca princess, a direct descendant of the great Inca rulers. Growing up, my home was filled with stories from both sides of my family. I would listen to my father's friends talk of Spain and their adventures, and then I would sit with my mother's family and hear the incredible history of my Inca ancestors.

During my childhood in Cuzco, I spent most of my time with my mother and her relatives. They were the keepers of our history. My great-uncle, Cusi Huallpa, and other elders would gather us children and tell us stories that had been passed down for generations. They spoke of the Sapa Incas, the mighty emperors who ruled a vast and organized empire. They described our laws, our beliefs, our amazing roads and buildings, and our connection to the sun god, Inti. In those days, before the Spanish arrived around 1532, our history wasn't written in books; it was remembered and spoken. I listened to every word, carefully memorizing the names, dates, and events. I learned to speak Quechua, the language of the Incas, and it was in this language that I learned the heart of my mother's culture. These memories became the greatest treasure I would ever possess.

When I was 21 years old, my life changed forever. My father passed away in 1559, and in his will, he urged me to travel to Spain. So, in 1561, I boarded a ship and crossed the vast Atlantic Ocean. I went to claim the inheritance my father had left me and to ask the Spanish king to recognize my father's service to the Crown. Arriving in Spain was like stepping into another world. It was the land of my father, but everything was new and different to me. To prove my loyalty and courage, I joined the Spanish army and fought in several campaigns. But even as I lived the life of a Spanish captain, my heart and mind were often filled with thoughts of Peru and the stories of my Inca ancestors.

After my time as a soldier, I settled down in a quiet town in Spain. I began to read many books written by Spanish historians about the conquest of my homeland. I was disappointed. Many of them didn't understand the Inca culture and wrote things that were simply not true. They made my mother's people seem uncivilized. I knew then what I had to do. I had a unique story to tell because I had heard the history from the Incas themselves. I decided to pick up a pen and become a writer. I wanted to be a voice for my mother's people and correct the historical record. I started by writing down my memories and even sent letters back to Peru to ask my relatives for more details. My first major book, published in 1605, was called La Florida del Inca, which told the story of a Spanish expedition in North America. This was just my first step in becoming a chronicler of history.

My most important work was a book I called Comentarios Reales de los Incas, or The Royal Commentaries of the Incas. I published the first part in 1609. In it, I told the history of the Inca Empire before the Spanish arrived. I wrote about the great rulers, the laws that governed the people, their religion, and their everyday lives. I wanted to show the world how advanced and just the Inca civilization was. The second part of my book was published in 1617, just after I passed away. It was called Historia General del Perú and told the story of the Spanish conquest and the years that followed. Together, these books were my life's mission: to preserve the memory of the Inca world for all time.

I lived to be 77 years old and spent my final years in Córdoba, Spain, where I passed away in 1616. Though I never returned to the land of my birth, my words did. My books traveled across the world, teaching people about the magnificent Inca civilization. Today, I am remembered as one of the first great writers of the Americas. My story is a reminder that having a mixed heritage is a strength, and that by understanding our past, we can build bridges between different cultures and create a more truthful history for everyone.