An Imperial Tale of Two Cities and One Imaginary Body

Abstract

On January 18, 1535, Francisco Pizarro founded the Ciudad de los Reyes del Peru (The City of the Kings of Peru) in a desert river oasis near the coast of New Castile.2 Notably, however, “Peru” was not yet a political or viceregal realm but instead a popular name for a newly discovered land of riches. Lima was a new town of Spaniards in New Castile, which had been granted to Pizarro as adelantado of the king in the unchartered lands of the South Sea recently named “Peru.” Soon, however, this new land and its two political divisions, New Castile and New Toledo (the latter was granted to the conquistador and adelantado Diego de Almagro), were in the throes of civil war and treachery between conquistador bands and their Inca allies. Following years of war that would decide the fate of highland Cuzco, the former Inca capital, and of Lima, the new city on the coast, in 1542 New Castile was united with New Toledo as the new viceroyalty of Peru, which was also called “The Kingdoms and Provinces of Peru.” 3 In the same year the Real Audiencia, or Royal Tribunal of Peru, was created and designated as the highest tribunal in the new viceroyalty, and its place of residence was Lima.4 Lima was also named the seat of the new viceroy and his court. As a result of these acts Lima became the head city (cabecera) of Peru.