ABSTRACT
THE SPANISH CONQUEST Between 1530 and 1533 the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro destroyed the political and military power of the Incas and disrupted the socio-economic system they had established. In 1544 the Spanish Crown established the Vice-royalty of Peru, covering a territory much larger than that of the present Peru, and attempted to exert an absolute control over its lands and people. Though some negro slaves were imported from Africa, their numbers were very small, partly because of Peru's location and partly because of the greater size of the indigenous Indian population compared with the situation in Brazil. Instead the people of the Inca Empire were made virtual slaves in their own country. The new colony was administered in systems which gave the appointed Spaniards, the encomenderos,
total control over the local people in their charge. Their labour could be directed at will. Land was taken from Indian use and redistributed to the Spanish officials or sold to Spaniards.
