THE MEETING BETWEEN ATAHUALLPA AND PIZARRO IN 1532:
Atahuallpa began to move towards the meeting place in the main square of Cajamarca accompanied by many thousands of unarmed Inca who were dressed in ceremonial clothes with gold discs representing the sun on their heads. They came peacefully, singing songs. Several of the Spanish were hidden around the square, armed and waiting for the signal to attack. A Spanish friar offered Atahuallpa the Bible, explaining to him that he must accept the Christian faith. Atahuallpa had no idea what this book was and threw it aside. This action gave Pizarro the excuse to attack. The Spanish rode out from their hiding places and began slashing at the unarmed Indians with their swords. The Indians were overtaken by sheer terror, having never seen a mounted cavalry soldier swinging a sword. The battle lasted only two hours, and in that time about 7,000 unarmed Indians, including many of the most important Inca leaders, were killed by swords or suffocated in their attempt to escape. Atahuallpa was dragged from his litter and captured.
