Split inheritance facts for kids

The Inca people had a special way of passing down power and wealth called Split Inheritance. When an Inca ruler died, his chosen successor would gain all the political power and the right to rule. However, the dead ruler kept control over all the lands he had conquered during his lifetime. This idea was named by Arthur A. Demarest and Geoffrey W. Conrad in 1984.

Why New Rulers Conquered More Land

After a new Inca king took the throne, he had to build his own palace and burial place. This was because the city he would rule from needed to be in an area he had conquered himself. This system made every new ruler want to conquer as much land as possible. Conquering more land meant more wealth for his family and for his own religious group or "cult" after he died. It also helped him secure a place for himself in the afterlife.

The Inca believed that how well you lived in the afterlife depended on what you achieved and conquered while alive. This system led to many conquests and taking over new lands. Rulers demanded tributes (payments) and labor from the people they ruled. This constant need for new land and resources made Inca history a long story of conquests and expanding their empire.