Titu Cusi

Titu Cusi Yupanqui (c. 1529 – 1571) was an Inca ruler. He was one of the sons of Manco Inca Yupanqui and succeeded his half-brother Sayri Túpac as the Inca ruler of Vilcabamba in 1561. Vilcabamba was the last refuge of the Inca resistance against Spanish colonial rule.

Titu Cusi is primarily known for his negotiations with the Spanish, culminating in the Treaty of Acobamba in 1566. This treaty allowed Spanish missionaries into Vilcabamba, and Titu Cusi was baptized. However, the treaty was fragile, and tensions remained high. He also dictated his account of the Spanish conquest of Peru, Instrucción al Llicenciado Don Lope Garcia de Castro, which is a valuable historical source offering an Inca perspective on the events.

Titu Cusi died unexpectedly in 1571, likely from a pulmonary illness. His death led to accusations of poisoning by the missionaries, and his successor, Túpac Amaru, resumed armed resistance against the Spanish.