Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui

Hello! My name is Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. When I was a boy, my name was Cusi Yupanqui. I lived in a kingdom called Cusco, which was nestled high up in the beautiful Andes Mountains in South America. This was a very, very long time ago, even before your great-great-great-grandparents were born. Life in the mountains was full of adventure, but I had no idea that my life was about to change forever and that I would one day become a great leader for my people.

Around the year 1438, a great challenge came to our home. An enemy army, called the Chankas, marched toward Cusco to attack us. Everyone was very frightened. My father, who was the king, and my older brother were so scared that they ran away and left our city unprotected. But I could not leave my people. I knew I had to be brave for them. I stayed behind and gathered all of our warriors. I told them we had to stand together and fight for our home. I showed them that courage was stronger than fear, and together, we prepared to defend our kingdom.

Our bravery paid off. We won the battle against the Chankas. Because I had stayed to protect our kingdom, the people chose me to be their new leader, the Sapa Inca. They gave me a new, powerful name: Pachacuti. This name means 'He who remakes the world' or 'Earth-shaker'. As the new emperor, I wanted to make our kingdom stronger and safer than ever before. I helped our small kingdom grow into a giant empire called Tawantinsuyu, which means 'The Four Regions Together'. I rebuilt our capital city of Cusco, making it strong and beautiful with grand stone buildings. To connect our growing empire, I created a system of roads that stretched for miles through the mountains. I also helped build amazing places, like the famous city of Machu Picchu, hidden high in the clouds.

I ruled as emperor until around the year 1471. I lived a long and full life, and my biggest accomplishment was helping my people build one of the greatest empires in the world. Today, people from all over the globe visit the cities, roads, and temples I helped build, especially the incredible Machu Picchu. They come to learn about the amazing civilization of the Inca people. My story reminds everyone that with courage and a big heart, even one person can change the world for the better.