Many centuries ago, long before cars, trains or airplanes were invented, the Inca people lived in the mountains of South America. The center of their empire was a city called Cusco, high up in the Andes. The second great Inca king, Sinchi Roca, ruled there. His father, Manco Cápac, had founded the Inca Empire, and after him Sinchi Roca took power.
Sinchi Roca was not only a king, but also a leader and protector for the Inca people. His name means "strong leader" or "solid rock" in the Inca language, Quechua. This shows how the people saw him: as someone who led them and whom they could trust. He was like a rock in the surf - strong, safe and reliable.
The Beginning of the Reign
Sinchi Roca took over power from his father when the kingdom was still small. At that time, Cusco was just a city surrounded by a few villages and fields. But Sinchi Roca had big plans. He wanted to make his kingdom stronger and bigger so that it could protect not only his family but also all the people of Cusco.
One of his first tasks as ruler was to expand the city of Cusco. Sinchi Roca ordered that more houses and fields be built so that everyone had enough space. Many people worked to make the fields around the city bigger so that there would be more food. Sinchi Roca was convinced that his people could only be strong if they had enough to eat.
The Importance of Agriculture
The Incas lived in an area where the land was not always easy to cultivate. The high mountains and steep slopes made it difficult to grow food. But Sinchi Roca had a solution. He had many terraces built - these are steps cut into the mountainsides so that people could grow crops there. These terraces helped to make better use of the water and prevented the soil from being washed away.
Thanks to these terraces, the Inca people were able to grow more corn, potatoes and other crops. Sinchi Roca also made sure that there were storage areas for the harvest so that the people had enough to eat even in times without rain. This was especially important because the Andes sometimes had droughts - times when there was little rain and the harvest was poor. With the supplies they stored, the people were well prepared and did not have to fear starvation.
The Growth of the Empire
Sinchi Roca was not only a good organizer, but also a clever warrior. He wanted to expand the Inca territory so that even more people could live under the rule of Cusco. So he sent his warriors to the surrounding areas to expand the empire. The Inca warriors fought against other tribes, but sometimes Sinchi Roca also tried to incorporate new areas into his empire through friendship and negotiations. When he incorporated a new village into his empire, he made sure that the people there were well and that they felt safe.
Through this expansion, the Kingdom of Cusco slowly grew into a real empire. More and more people lived under the rule of the Incas, and many different tribes became part of this large empire. People no longer had to fight against each other, but could live together in peace and work together. This made the Inca Empire stronger and more powerful.
The Infrastructure of the Incas
Another important task that Sinchi Roca undertook was the construction of roads. He realized that the empire could only be governed well if the different towns and villages were connected. He began by building roads that connected the city of Cusco with other places. These roads were often very well built - they crossed mountains and rivers and were sometimes made of large stones. Later, these roads also helped the Inca messengers who needed to carry messages quickly throughout the empire.
Sinchi Roca thus laid the foundation for the large road network that the Incas later built. These roads were not only important for messengers, but also for traders who brought goods from one place to another and for soldiers who had to protect the empire. In this way, the people of the Inca Empire became more and more closely connected with one another and the empire became more stable.
myths and legends
Sinchi Roca's life is full of stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. The Incas had no writing system to record their history, so people passed the stories on orally. It was not until the Spanish came to South America many years later that the stories were written down. This means that some parts of his story cannot be verified and we do not know if they happened exactly like that. Some stories about Sinchi Roca are more like legends that describe him as particularly brave and strong.
It is said that Sinchi Roca was not only a good king, but also very wise. He encouraged the Inca people to always work together and look after each other. He taught his people that it was important to use the land well and to make sure everyone had enough to eat. These teachings helped the Inca to develop into a great and strong people.
Sinchi Roca's legacy
Sinchi Roca is today considered one of the first rulers of the great Inca Empire. Even though we do not know all the details of his life, he remains an important part of history. He expanded the empire, cared for the people and laid the foundations for what would later become the mighty Inca Empire.
Through his efforts, the Inca people became stronger and the city of Cusco became an important center. Sinchi Roca ensured that the people had enough to eat and that the Inca lands expanded. He built roads, fields and terraces that were still used long after his time.
Sinchi Roca remains a symbol of strength, wisdom and leadership to this day. He showed the importance of caring for others, using the land well and working together. He is remembered in Inca history as the "Strong Rock" who brought security and growth to his people.
