A classic work of history by the American historian William Hickling Prescott (1796-1859), first published in 1847. The book chronicles the epic story of the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire in the early 16th century, and the dramatic clash of civilizations that ensued. Prescott relied on an extensive array of primary sources, including contemporary accounts by Spanish and indigenous writers, to create a vivid and nuanced portrait of the people, places, and events of this pivotal chapter in world history. A masterpiece of literary and historical scholarship, and a must-read for anyone interested in the conquest of the Americas. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.