Atlas of Battles

siege, notable, early modern

Siege of Cusco

Siege of Cusco was a siege conducted on 6 May 1536 at Cusco, in what is now Peru; it lasted 11 months. It was part of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, which ran from 1532 to 1572. The recorded result: Spanish victory. Recorded strength: 30,000 Indios auxiliares; 190 Spaniards against 700 Spaniards (as for early 1537), 50,000 Indios auxiliares.

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400 [402] MANGO INGA PEGA FVEGO AL CVIVS MANGO a la santa crus
400 [402] MANGO INGA PEGA FVEGO AL CVIVS MANGO a la santa crus. Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought6 May 1536lasted 11 months
WhereCusco, Peru13.517S, 71.978W
OutcomeSpanish victory
Belligerents22px Nueva Castilla; Native allies; Huancas; Cañari; Chachapoyas; Chankasagainst22px Nueva Toledo; Remnants of the Inca Empire
Casualties and lossesUnknownandUnknown, but low
Part ofSpanish conquest of the Inca Empire1532 to 1572

Where it sits in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire

Battle of Punta Quemada, 1525Battle of Puná, 1531Battle of the Mangroves, 1532Battle of Cajamarca, 1532First Battle of Jauja, 1533Battle of Huaripampa, 1533Battle of Capi, 1533Battle of Vilcas, 1533Battle of Cusco, 1533Battle of Anta, 1533Battle of Mount Chimborazo, 1534Battle of the Yacus River, 1534Second Battle of Jauja, 1534Battle of Maraycalla, 1534Battle of Riobamba, 1534Third Battle of Tiocajas, 1534Battle of Quito, 1534Battle of Ambato, 1534Battle of Sacsayhuaman, 1536Battle of Yucay, 1536Battle of Huaytará, 1536Battle of Parcos, 1536Third Battle of Jauja, 1536Battle of Lunahuaná, 1536Siege of Cusco, 1536Siege of Lima, 1536Battle of Rumichaca Bridge, 1536Battle of Ollantaytambo, 1536Battle of Calca, 1537Battle of Urcos, 1537Battle of Desaguadero, 1538Battle of Tapacarí, 1538Battle of Oncoy, 1538Battle of Yuramayo, 1538Siege of Cochabamba, 1538Battle of Chupas, 154215251542Siege of Cusco, 1536
36 placed engagements of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date6 May 1536
to 18 April 1537
PlaceCusco, Peru
13.517S, 71.978W
KindSiege, early modern
Strength30,000 Indios auxiliares; 190 Spaniards700 Spaniards (as for early 1537), 50,000 Indios auxiliares
Casualties and lossesUnknownUnknown, but low; Unknown
Commanders
  • Diego de Almagro
  • Rodrigo Orgóñez
Siege of CuscoSiege of CuscoBattle of CuscoBattle of Las SalinasBattle of JaquijahuanaBattle of OllantaytamboBattle of SangararáBattle of Las SalinasBattle of JaquijahuanaBattle of OllantaytamboBattle of SangararáAbancaySicuaniSanto Tomas100 km13.517S, 71.978W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 3 times between 1533 and 1538.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1536

Siege of Cusco is one of 1,470 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 96 in present-day Peru.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2398589, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Cusco, revision 1383839413, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.