Royal Commentaries of the Incas
Also known as: Comentarios Reales de los Incas, Royal Commentaries
A seminal early colonial chronicle by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, blending native oral traditions with Spanish historiography to preserve Inca history, myths, and governance.
Description
The *Royal Commentaries of the Incas* (*Comentarios Reales de los Incas*), authored by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, is a two-part chronicle that sought to record the history, myths, rituals, and political systems of the Inca civilization. Drawing on the oral traditions of his Inca relatives and the scholarly methods of Renaissance Spain, Garcilaso provides both an insider’s perspective on Andean culture and a mediation of that culture for European readers. The work combines mythic accounts of Inca origins and deities with detailed narratives of dynasties, conquests, and customs. As one of the earliest major works by a mestizo author, it stands as both a preservation of pre-Columbian memory and a negotiation of colonial identity. Its legacy influenced both Andean identity and broader interpretations of Indigenous American civilizations in European scholarship.
Historiography
The *Royal Commentaries* was first published in Lisbon in 1609, with a posthumous continuation in 1617. It circulated widely in Europe and Spanish America, shaping early modern views of the Inca Empire. Later scholars have debated its blend of myth and history, noting Garcilaso’s intent to dignify Inca civilization within European intellectual frameworks. The book was banned in the Spanish colonies after the 1780s Tupac Amaru II rebellion for inspiring Indigenous pride.
Date Notes
Published in Lisbon in 1609; a second part appeared in 1617 after Garcilaso's death
Symbols
Major Characters
- Garcilaso de la Vega
- Manco Cápac
- Mama Ocllo
- Pachacuti
- Topa Inca Yupanqui
- Huayna Cápac
- Atahualpa
- Viracocha
Myths
- Origins of the Incas from the Sun
- Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo
- War of the Chancas and Pachacuti
- Inca Festivals and Creation Myths
Facts
- Written by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, son of an Inca noblewoman and a Spanish conquistador.
- First part published in Lisbon in 1609, second part in 1617 posthumously.
- Blends Inca oral traditions with Renaissance historiography.
- Presents Inca religion, government, and culture alongside mythic accounts.
- Served to dignify Inca civilization before European readers.
- Banned in Spanish colonies after 1780s due to fear of inciting rebellion.
- One of the first major works by a mestizo author in the Americas.
- Provides both mythic and historical perspectives on Inca kings.
- Influential in shaping European understanding of Andean civilization.
- Remains a key text in studies of Andean culture and colonial literature.