The Light of Machu Picchu - The Inca Empire Trilogy (Part 3)

Author: Anthony B. Daniel
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-05-01
Features: [Editor's Recommendation] A collaborative work by three top French international experts on Inca civilization, topping the LIVRESHEBDO literary bestseller list for seventeen consecutive weeks. The Inca civilization left behind many mysteries, such as the Inca Empire's hidden treasures and the Khipu code, which have always captivated the world. The Inca civilization originated in the 6th century, when over 100 tribes lived in the Andean mountains and coastal regions. The main tribes included: Aymara, Mochica, Pukina, and Quechua. The Quechua tribe resided in the Cusco Valley and was the most primitive among the four tribes, yet they were adept at absorbing the achievements of other cultures, allowing them to develop rapidly. The Incas were a branch of the Quechua people who created a highly developed culture and established the "Inca Empire." The Incas believed themselves to be the descendants of the sun god, and the word "Inca" means "son of the sun." Initially, this title was only used for the chief of Cusco, as he was the direct descendant of the sun and held absolute power. After the Spanish invasion of South America, however, they used the title "Inca" to refer to the entire Inca tribe, and the term has been used ever since. It is said that the Inca Empire had 13 rulers, with the exception of Manco Capac, who is a legendary figure. The other 12 rulers were real historical figures. This book, published in France, topped the LIVRESHEBDO literary bestseller list for seventeen consecutive weeks. The book is a collaborative effort by three top French international experts on Inca civilization: Anthony Houdou, who is both a publisher and a writer; Béatrice Huet, an expert on Inca civilization, who has been dedicated to studying South American culture since 1978; and Jean-Daniel Palada, a historian and writer whose historical novels have won him the Sainte-Beuve Prize. The three experts use the pen name Anthony B. Daniel for this collaboration. The book consists of three parts: "The Princess of the Sun," "The Golden City of Cusco," and "The Light of Machu Picchu," with each book containing approximately 230,000 words. In the early 16th century, the Inca Empire reached its peak, with its territory centered around modern-day Peru, extending south to central Chile, north to most of Ecuador, Bolivia, and a part of northwestern Argentina, covering a north-south span of 4,000 kilometers and an area of over 2 million square kilometers, with a population of over 6 million. It became the most powerful empire in the Americas, earning the nickname "the Rome of the New World," and the Incas were called "the Romans of the New World." In the mid-16th century, Spanish colonizers arrived in South America, led by Pizarro. The Inca Empire collapsed rapidly due to the invasion of the Spanish colonizers. This book narrates the rise and fall of the Inca Empire in a literary manner, making it an excellent read for those interested in learning about the ancient Inca civilization.