Politics over the years have changed a tremendous amount -- women in politics have changed even more.  In today’s world, a woman can run for president of the most powerful country in the world and few people think twice about it.  In the 1700s Queen Elizabeth became the first female queen to rule without a man at her side and in the 1500s; the times of the Inca, the power of women varied, some had substantial power and some merely represented the power of kings.  Nevertheless, women have played significant roles throughout the cultures and throughout the years. Inca government, “a monarchy in which rule passed from father to son” does not seem to leave much room for female power at first glance. 1 Generally, the emperor and his family held complete power over the empire, with the “most able” son, not necessarily the oldest, being first in line as a successor. 2 The emperor, celebrated in both life and death, lived a luxurious life.  “As befit his station, the emperor’s activities were filled with ritual, pomp, and feasting.  Among his most important duties of protocol were presiding over the regular feasts in the main plaza.” 3 Second to power, the High Priest of the Sun, received much of his power due to his role in selecting and confirming the new emperor of the empire. 4 Finally women; wives, mothers, and daughters found their seat in the Inca line of politics.

Politically active women in the Incan culture, for the most part, played one of two roles; of these two roles one was considerably powerful and the other almost demeaning.  The first role consisted of women close to the kings, their wives and mothers.  Generally in order to keep pure blood lines within the royal family, emperors would marry their sisters or first cousins. 5  Despite the general supposition that women were to assume the roles as homemakers and wives – The Qoya [queen] brought a great deal into the marriage, including counsel, status, legitimacy for offspring, and wealth.  Once in alliance, she wielded some independent power and was also a persuasive political adviser for her husband and son who succeeded him. 6 The importance of women within the royal family is only further emphasized by the fact that rival tribes viewed mothers and wives of kings as large and equal threats, therefore never sparing their lives at the risk of leaving a powerful survivor. 7  D’Altroy sums up politically powerful women when he states:  "The roles of royal women thus suggest that the ruler’s principal marriage was not a simple joining of a couple to produce legitimate offspring or the forging of a political alliance.  The royal couple formed a ruling pair with complimentary roles." 8

Inca sun god

The king and queen of the Inca Empire worked together implementing two important roles in which the society thrived upon.  The second political role women held, not necessarily noted as political leaders, however politically known, was the “Wives of the Sun”.  These individuals were elite, virginal, women chosen to be secondary companions of powerful religious or political figures. 9  To be given an Inca woman as a second wife was considered to be a great honor, "…to receive a young woman, given by the hands of the Inca, was held as a singular favor, because there was nothing which these Indians esteemed more than to have many wives, and they could not have another wife in addition to the legitimate one, except by dispensation of the king." 10 Women were used to symbolize power, not that these women held a substantial amount.  However, the more women a man had, the more power he generally possessed. 11

Although the “Wives of the Sun” had little political influence, it does not necessarily mean that they were not heavily valued.  Garcilaso De La Vega mentions the punishment inflicted upon those who violated the wives.  He notes the harsh retributions one offender had to endure, “For he who transgressed in this way, or even attempted to transgress, was burnt alive with his parents, sons, brothers… his native land was depopulated and sown with salt… the house destroyed and other great punishments were inflicted in memory of the crime.” 12  While this has nothing to do with women’s political acts, it does reflect the importance and value of women as “Wives of the Sun” and the only noted political role they really had at this point in time.  Women did not have much of a voice, however, it was because of them that men were killed, their families murdered, and their farms and livestock destroyed, a power that they would not ordinarily have. Inca women at this point in time lay on two very opposite ends of the spectrum.  In one instance women held substantial political power within the royal family, however at the same time, women were being used as nothing more than symbols of power to their male counterparts.  Over the years women’s political status has both improved and dwindled; however at the time of the Inca, women were both politically powerful and politically lacking, depending on their class status.

A portrayal of the "Wives of the Sun."

1. D’Altroy, Terence. The Incas. (Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2002), 89. 2. D’Altroy, Ibid., 89. 3. Ibid., 93. 4. Ibid., 99. 5. Ibid., 103. 6. Ibid., 103. 7. Ibid., 105. 8. Ibid., 106. 9. Silverblatt, Irene. Moon, Sun, and Witches: Gender, Ideologies, and Class in Inca and Colonial Peru. (New Jersey: Princeton University Press,1987), 85. 10. Silverblatt, Ibid., 88. 11. Silverblatt, Ibid., 90. 12. De La Vega, Garcilaso. First Part of the Royal Commentaries of the Yncas. (London: Miles Flesher, 1869), 300.