Encyclopedia of the Incas

reinforcements, Pizarro and a band of 13 volunteers would remain. After
Almagro’s return some months later, they continued. En route, their pilot,
Bartolomé Ruiz, captured a large, oceangoing balsa raft with fine cotton sails
carrying 20 Native sailors adorned with gold and silver ornaments. The vessel
also came loaded with quantities of stone beads, pottery, tightly woven wool and
cotton textiles, and other fineries that the men traded for crimson and orange sea
shells valued as a sacrifice to their gods (see Sámano Account; Seafaring;
Wealth). This chance meeting motivated the Spaniards to continue. They
eventually landed near Tumbes, a northern ceremonial center where they saw
evidence of advanced civilization—monumental temples, extensive roads, and
state storehouses. They eventually sailed as far south as Santa and Virú, on
Peru’s north coast, before returning to Panama.
At this point, Pizarro crossed the Atlantic to negotiate a contract (capitulación)
with Charles I, licensing further exploration. The terms gave Pizarro the title of
adelantado (the Crown’s advance agent) and captain-general for life of what he
explored. The 13 men who remained on the Island of Gallo were ennobled.
Almagro, not present at the negotiations, received the title of governor of
Tumbes. The disparity in positions later caused friction between the two partners
and led eventually to the civil wars of the 1540s. Before embarking on the return
voyage to America, Pizarro stopped in Extremadura to encourage his brothers,
cousins, and acquaintances to accompany him.
The third expedition captained by Pizarro with fewer than 200 men and 27
horses sailed in late December 1530. Almagro promised to follow with
reinforcements and supplies. Reaching Tumbes, Pizarro found the monumental
architecture he had seen on his earlier voyage in ruins and the population absent.
Continuing south, Pizarro eventually established the first Spanish settlement in
Peru, the city (villa) of San Miguel de Piura, and he awarded encomiendas to its
citizens. It was soon after that the Spanish made contact with a representative of
the Inca Empire.
As they marched on, skirting the western flanks of the Andes, they learned that
the populace had already suffered an exotic disease. This epidemic killed many,
including “the Cuzco,” later identified as the emperor Huayna Capac and his
named successor (see Diseases, Foreign). The ruler’s death provoked a
succession crisis between two half brothers (see Wars, Dynastic). Disease and
civil war contributed to the Spaniards’ success in gaining control of the Andean
population in the coming months.