History of the origin and royal genealogy of the Inca kings of Peru

Our edition of History of the Origin and Royal Genealogy of Peru’s Inca Kings, Customs, Costumes and Manner of Government, offers readers an invaluable look at the history and culture of ancient Peru. Its author was Martín de Murúa (1525 or 1540 – 1617 or 1618), a distinguished Mercedarian friar and Spanish chronicler. This illustrated work captures the essence of a crucial time and place in Latin American history.
Martín de Murúa was born in the province of Guipúzcoa, in the Basque Country, and from a young age entered the Mercedarian order. In the mid-sixteenth century, he left for the Viceroyalty of Peru, where he became a doctrinero and became fluent in native languages, such as Aymara and Quechua. Throughout his life, he practiced in various localities and communities, leaving a deep mark on the region.
The History of the origin and royal genealogy of the Inca kings of Peru, customs, costumes and manner of government is presented in three books covering the history of the Incas and the arrival of the Spanish conquerors. Murúa combines information gathered from other chronicles, such as those of Pedro Cieza de León and Juan de Betanzos, with his own observations and accounts.
Through its pages, we discover the details of daily life, civil wars, rites and customs of the Incas, as well as the description of the main cities and towns of Peru at that time.
A highlight of Murua’s work is his focus on the intimate lives of the Incas, including their relationships and love customs of the time. This gives the chronicle an additional value, allowing us to delve into lesser-known aspects of Inca culture. In addition, the work presents a series of detailed and expressive illustrations, which add visual depth to the textual descriptions.
Murúa’s entertaining and picturesque prose, as highlighted by Raúl Porras Barrenechea, translates into a captivating narrative that gives life and context to historical events. The work, originally known as the “Loyola Manuscript,” remained unpublished until the twentieth century, when Horacio Urteaga and Manuel Ballesteros Gaibrois carried out its edition, allowing this illustrated chronicle to finally reach the hands of modern readers.
This edition of History of the origin and royal genealogy, customs, costumes and manner of government, shows readers Peru’s glorious past, exploring its history, culture and characters through the insightful eye and words of Martín de Murúa.
This work is a fascinating testimony to an era that continues to resonate in Latin America’s identity and legacy.