Today in the Americas, the Assassination of Francisco Pizarro

Today in 1541 (478 years ago) Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of the Inkas, founder of Lima, first governor of Peru, was hacked to death in his palace in the capital city. Of course, the killing was factional – the elimination of the Pizarro brothers for the ascension of Diego Almagro II. The killing was also politically motivated. Almargo II was the son of Diego de Almargo, founder of Chile and companion and later rival of Pizarro, who would be sentenced to death in 1538 by decapitation, carried out under orders of the Pizarro brothers. Almargo II sought revenge (he would be captured within a year and assassinated as well after the Battle of Chupas) and threw Peru into a lengthy civil war. The Spanish fought back the threats against its interests in Peru, which made it the richest nation on earth at the time, and interred the country for another three centuries.