Who they were
A local Andean leader who claimed descent from the last Inca, José Gabriel Condorcanqui took the name Túpac Amaru II. In 1780 he launched a massive rebellion in the Peruvian highlands against colonial abuses.
What they did
His revolt protested forced labor, heavy tribute, and the exploitation of Indigenous people. It grew into a wide movement that shook Spanish control across the southern Andes.
Legacy
He was captured and brutally executed with his family in 1781, and Spain repressed Andean culture in reprisal. His name was later revived as a symbol of Indigenous and revolutionary struggle.