Inca troops skirmish with Chachapoya and Cañari
warriors, among other recalcitrant northern
peoples, who resisted Inca rule and faced harsh
reprisals. Guaman Poma de Ayala, Felipe. El
primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno. Edited by
John V. Murra and Rolena Adorno, 140/161.
Mexico City: Siglo Veintiuno, 1980 [1615].An Inca army on the march was a splendid sight. Foot soldiers marched in
decimal squadrons, bearing their regional headdress and arms, following their
Native officers. Orejones, Inca nobles who wore earspools, formed a distinctly
higher level of command; they also composed the vanguard and were given
particularly crucial tasks. The army was commanded by the ruling Inca or a
close male relative. The Inca ruler traveled on a litter with an escort of armed
guards, wives, and servants. There were porters and thousands of pack llamas