Lima city of the Kings

Lima

CIT Y OF THE KINGS

On the 18th o f January 1535, the Spanish C onquistador Francisco Pizarro founded “T h e C i ty o f K i n g s ” ( C i u d a d d e l o s R e y e s ) th at e ve n tually b e c a m e k n o w n a s L i m a .

The loc ation in w h i c h L i m a w a s f o u n d e d w as n e ve r th e f i rs t o p t i o n i n 15 3 3 J a u j a w as the on e of t h e f i rs t a re a s c h o s e n b y th e Con quistado rs h o w e v e r, d u e t o t h e cold c limate an d d i s t a n c e f ro m t h e s e a made th e m loo k e l s e w h e re . F ra n c i s c o b a p tize d the c i t y “ T h e C i t y o f K i n g s ” i t is thoug ht th e n a m e c o m e s f ro m t h e festival th at is c e l e b ra t e d i n S p a i n c a l l e d “Lo s T r es R ey es Ma gos ” ( T h e T h re e K ings) thi s f e stival n ow i s w i d e l y c e l e b ra t e d a c ro s s S outh A me r ic a h ow e ve r , M a rí a R o s t w o ro w s k a n his to ri a n s ug ge sts th e c it y w a s n a m e d a f t e r t h e K i n g o f S pa i n C a rl os V an d h is m o t h e r J u a n a I, Q u e e n o f C a s t ile.

Be f or e th i s , th e a r e a wh e r e Li m a c a n be located was occu p ied and had be e n oc c upi e d f or m a ny y e a r s , wh e n Pizarro came the area was home to th e Cui s m anc o pe opl e a nd g ove r n ed by Taulichusco . Some ch r oni c l e r s wr ote th at Ta ul i c h us c o r eceiv ed the Sp anish in a friendly and c our te ous way and th a t h e h ad already heard of their p resence in T a h uanti ns uy o. To pr e ve nt th e h um iliation and slav ery of his p eop le he a s ke d th e m to s pr e ad out th r oughou t the territory.The fate of T a h uanti ns uy o i s unknown s om e h i s torians su ggest he died of natu ral caus e s wh i l e s om e d i s pute h e m a y h av e been mu rdered. Tau lichu sco is not tr ul y f or g otte n i n Li m a, i f y ou trav el to the center of L ima and fi nd P as a je Sa nta R os a y ou wi l l f i nd a large rock which was p laced in h onor of th e l a s t g ove r nor be f or e the Sp anish arriv ed of the Rimac ar e a , Ta ul i c h us c o.

Lima i n 15 3 5

Pizarro built L ima in a similar fashion to the cities in Spain, the city starting with a large plaza (square) and expands outwards. It is thought that The Presidential Palace was built on top of the home of Taulichusco and the Cathedral of Lima was built on top of a religious temple. The construction of the new city came at the cost of indigenous people had been converted to slaves.

In 1536, Lima was attacked under the orders of

Manco Inca; this was led by Inca general Quizo Yupanqui . Fierce fighting broke out on the outskirts of the city however, the outcome was unfavorable for Manco as the Spanish and their indigenous allies defeated Manco’s resistance force and the evidence of this battle can still be seen today at the archaeological site of

Puruchuco

in

Ate.

Lima continued to grow after the rebellion was crushed however, on 26 th of June 15 41 the founder of Lima was assassinated in the Presidential Palace by the son of his old frie nd who became enemies D i ego de Alma g ro . Cris t ó b a l V ac a d e Ca s t ro became the next colonial administrator in Peru.

In 1542 Spain designated Lima as capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and the site of a Real Audiencia, the high court, in 1543. From here the Spaniards ruled over vast areas in South America.

In 1551, Peru being heavily influenced by the Catholic Church became the place where the Spanish Inquisition headquarters for South America would be opened.

Lima

Due to Lima’s growing wealth and influenced it made it a target for pirates and in 1579 the British pirate Francis Drake raided Callao and in 1615 and 1624 Callao was once again raided by the Dutch pirate Jacques L’Hermite. To prevent further raids on the important port a fort was built under the ord ers of Viceroy José Manso de Velasco and in 1770 the fort Real Felipe was finished. The fort has now been converted into a museum and can still be visited today.

Another major event that occurred in Peru and in Lima was the occupation of Lima by the Chileans who took the city on January 17 1881 during the War of the Pacific, Lima was not liberated until 1883 when Peru surrendered.

t o d a y i s a b u st l i n g c i t y w i t h a p o p u l a t i on of 8 m illion p e op le a nd al th ough tha t t h e ca p i t a l i s st r u g g l i n g w i t h m a n y m a j o r issue s the r e is a lwa ys the go o d parts t h a t we ca n fi nd . S o f o r t h e a n n i v er sa r y o f Lim a g o che ck out the city c e n ter as the y a r e e v e n t s a n d a l so c h ec k o u t t h e m u se um s to find out som e m or e in t e r e s t i n g i n fo r m a t i o n o f n o t j u st L i m a b u t o f Pe r u in g e ne r a l.

F O R M O RE I N TERES TING HIS TO R ICA L A R TICL E S A ND FACT S VISIT MY BLOG:

http://gringoperu.blogspot.pe/