Battling Brothers: The Inca Succession Crisis, 1529

APPROXIMATE COMMITTEE SIZE: 25 delegates

In 1529, the Inca Empire was on the brink of collapse after the death of its ruler, Emperor Huayana Capac. His two sons both claimed the throne, inciting a civil war between two factions: Huáscar, the legitimate heir and son of the late Emperor, and Atahualpa, Huáscar’s half-brother. The death of their father, coupled with the smallpox epidemic brought to the Americas from Europe, divided the empire and fractured the once-unified government structure. Tensions between the two brothers have escalated, leading to full-scale warfare as both compete for control of the empire’s wealth, power, and territory.

In this committee, delegates will step into the roles of high-ranking figures from both sides, including their high-ranking soldiers, advisors, and regional leaders. Huáscar’s loyalists will fight to uphold the legitimacy of dynastic succession and preserve the traditional Incan governance structure. Meanwhile, Atahualpa’s supporters will aim to dismantle the old order, consolidate military control, and assert a new vision for the future of the empire. With diplomacy, propaganda, and warfare all on the table, delegates must decide how to command loyalty, manage scarce resources, and reshape the future of Tawantinsuyu.

ISSUES TO CONSIDER

Military Strategy

Legitimacy and Control

Alliances, Resources, and Diplomacy

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Analyze competing claims to power and how legitimacy is constructed, challenged, and defended.

• Understand the complexities of civil conflict, including terrain-based strategy, alliance-building among regional leaders, and the militarization of political power.

• Examine cultural and ideological undertones of traditional Incan governance and how reformists might use those values to justify structural change.

About the Chair

Jack Biemer is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is planning to major in Government, with minors in History and Spanish. He is originally from Oak Park, Illinois. Jack has traveled with Georgetown’s Model UN travel team and has previously staffed both NCSC and NAIMUN as a Crisis Analyst. He is excited to be a Chair at this year’s NAIMUN!

About the Crisis manager

Tasneem Ghadiali is a second-year student at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is planning to study International Economics with a minor in South Asian Studies. She has been doing MUN since sixth grade (eight years!) and was Secretary-General of her high school conference. She enjoys the creativity and learning that goes in MUN, and previously competed with GUMUN! In her free time, she enjoys traveling and practicing embroidery. She calls Lexington, Massachusetts home.