"The Spanish take over Cuzco" - De Bry - 1596

Benzoni, an Italian, acted as a mediator between different nations. The work describes life of the first nations of Central America. Benzoni wrote at a time when the Spanish treatment of the Indians was a concern, and described the cruelty of the Spanish towards the Indians and African slaves - the famous "Black legend". The work is beautifully illustrated with engravings of the Native Americans and Spanish conquistadors. It including images of Nicaraguans dancing, how they held their markets, and made war, and of slaves being harshly treated.

The plate shows:

After Atahualpa was killed Pizarro set out with his troops to find the city of Cuzco, which he had heard was rich in gold. The journey from Cajamarca to Cuzco by road was nearly a thousand miles and took three months, Although there was considerable resistance to the Spanish during his long march, the final descent into the great city, in November 1533 was in fact not as portrayed but a relatively peaceful affair