por What was the tucuyricuy?
He tucuyricuy He was a special official who held a high rank in the Inca Empire. He was a kind of imperial emissary who was in charge of ensuring compliance with imperial laws and mandates throughout the territory. He had full powers to enforce what the emperor entrusted to him.
The Inca culture originated in the Andean zone at the beginning of the 13th century, specifically in the Cuzco area, extending along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range to form a unique empire due to its greatness.
The power of the Incas was due to different causes, but some of the most important were theto the unification of the language, since up to 700 languages came to coexist in the Inca Empire, until Quechua was established as the official language. And the figure of the tucuyricuy, which allowed the sovereign to know everything that was happening in the empire.
Without the communication tools or means of transportation that exist today, the supreme authority of the Incas (Sapa Inca or the Inca) needed eyes and ears in all the provinces, so the function of the tucuyricuy was vital and indispensable.
Tucuyricuy (also tukuy rikuq) literally means «the one who sees everything», and recent academic research indicates that it can mean «ruler». He was chosen directly by the Inca from among the wisest men in the empire. However, despite the power he might have, he was not a perpetual or hereditary office.
Responsibilities and activities of the tucuyricuy in the Inca Empire
The tucuyricuy played an important role within the empire, and was highly respected within Inca society because he was the representative of the Sapa Inca and only reported to him.
Functions of the tucuyricuy
There was not just one tucuyricuy. The Inca appointed several of these officials with the aim of controlling all corners of his empire.
Main tasks
During the incognito trips through different regions of the empire, the tucuyricuy observed if the Inca’s laws were applied correctly.
Although he never identifies himself as an official at the beginning of a visit, he would reveal his identity on many occasions if necessary. At the right moment he showed some threads that belonged to the Inca’s mascaipacha or mascaypacha, symbol of imperial power.
Another of his main functions was the collection of tribute, which he collected throughout the region under his charge, to later send it to the emperor.
The tucuyricuy was feared and respected by all the inhabitants of the empire, since they saw in it the power of the Inca.
Other tasks
In addition to the functions mentioned above, the tucuyricuy fulfilled other very important tasks for the daily life of the empire in general and of the people in particular.
For example, he was in charge of marrying the new couples (in the wedding ceremony he was called Huarmicoco). This ceremony was held in a common space for all couples, whose members were generally between 18 and 25 years of age.
Likewise, he could officiate as a judge and sentence to death if he considered that the defendant was guilty of a greater crime, according to the laws of the Inca.
The success of the tucuyricuy
It is said that the success of this official was due to the independence he had thanks to the power that the Inca had given him, since he only had to report his actions to the emperor.
References
Universal history. Inca Culture. Recovered from historiacultural.com. Creativity and innovation of the Incas as a model of entrepreneurship (2015). Lima University. Retrieved from ulima.edu.pe.