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Three factors historians most often point to that allowed the Spanish to conquer the Inca Empire so quickly and easily: 1. Disease -- Smallpox, unknown in the New World until then, was brought over by the Spanish themselves and quickly spread throughout the many tribes from the first early contacts -- before the Spanish army actually arrived. 2. Civil war -- the Inca King died leaving two sons who both claimed the throne. They went to war over the issue and almost half the warrior population was killed off in the battle. This happened just before Pizarro's third voyage when he finally made contact with the new Inca king (the brother who won). 3. The Spanish had horses and metal weapons and armor. The Inca, were still living in the "stone age" and had only tools and weapons of stone.
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