The Ransom Room

In the northern highlands of Peru lies the historic city of Cajamarca, where the great Inca empire met its demise. It was on this soil that Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro orchestrated the downfall of Inca ruler Atahualpa, capturing him and confining him to a modest chamber adjacent to the grand plaza. In a desperate bid for freedom, Atahualpa promised to fill the chamber once with gold and twice with silver, stacked as high as his outstretched hand could reach. This exorbitant ransom is one of the highest ever paid in human history. Despite his efforts, Atahualpa was executed after a mock trial by his captors. The room where all this…