Prince Huáscar, legal heir to the throne, had been defeated and imprisoned by his half brother Atahuallpa, who was moving toward the capital.
Valdnieka dēlu Vaskaru, likumīgo troņmantnieku, bija sakāvis un sagūstījis viņa pusbrālis Atavalpa, kas atradās ceļā uz galvaspilsētu.