LIMA HISTORY: MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS - HISTORY - 2025

The history of Lima begins on January 18, 1535, the date on which it was founded as "The City of Kings" by the Spanish colony.

Lima, current capital of the Republic of Peru, was during the times of Spanish imperial America the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, and the largest and most important city in South America.

San Juan De Dios Lima-Callao railway station

Today Lima is the political, financial, cultural and commercial headquarters of the country. In addition to being the fifth most populous city in Latin America, due to its geostrategic location, it is considered a “beta class” global city.

Most important events in the history of Lima

Before the founding of Lima, its territory was occupied by pre-Inca settlements whose identity was established by the Maranga and Lima cultures.

These cultures were conquered by the Wari Empire, and later in the 15th century they were incorporated into the largest Empire of pre-Columbian times, the Inca.

Spanish conquest

In 1532 the Inca Empire was dealing with the civil war between the princes Huáscar and Atahualpa.

Attracted by the rumors of a rich kingdom, the Spanish Francisco Pizarro along with a group of conquerors arrived in the territory of Lima.

During a celebration held by the natives, the Spanish captured the Inca Atahualpa who they executed in 1533 for conspiring against Pizarro.

Then, on January 18, 1535, Pizarro, who had been appointed by the Spanish Crown as governor of every territory he conquered, chose a strategic point on the Rímac River to found the City of the Kings.

The allied Spanish fought against the natives and defeated the rebels of Manco Inca, for such merit on November 3, 1536, the Crown confirmed the founding of the city.

Viceroyalty

Due to the prestige gained by the city by being designated capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and seat of the Royal Audience in 1543, there was a time of flourishing.

The University of San Marcos (1551) was established, the first university in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the first printing press (1584).

Additionally, it established itself as the center of a huge commercial network that reached Europe and the Philippines, achieving economic prosperity, which was reflected in its accelerated growth.

The dominion of the city suffered important losses due to disputes between Spaniards and the presence of corsairs and pirates that endangered the commercial network.

It was also hit by several earthquakes, the one that occurred in 1746 ended up devastating it.

Independence

During 1780 and 1781 an indigenous rebellion arose that was led by Tupac Amaro II and another in the city of Huánuco in 1812.

It is then when the Viceroyalty succumbs to the campaigns of Simón Bolívar, being José de San Martín who on July 28, 1821 proclaimed the independence of Peru in Lima.

Republican era

Lima, designated as the capital of the Republic of Peru, was devastated by the reduction of textile and mining production, suffering a serious economic stagnation.

This situation worsened due to the political turmoil that lasted until 1850, at which time the income from the export of guano returned prosperity.

During the next 20 years, important public structures were built, the Lima and Callao railway line was completed, and the iron bridge over the Rímac River was inaugurated.

The negative aspect of the economic expansion occurred in the marked stratification, according to which the gap between rich and poor widened.

After the Peruvian troops were defeated during the War of the Pacific (1883), the Chilean army occupied Lima, with which the city suffered great destruction and looting by the invaders. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the reconstruction of Lima begins.

This period stood out for the large number of road arteries that were drawn in its territory and for the construction of the emblematic buildings that today house the headquarters of its important government institutions.

References

1. Heaney, C. (September 2016). The Conquests of Peru. In: latinamericanhistory.oxfordre.com.
2. History of Lima. (sf). Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from: enperu.org.
3. History of Lima. (October 21, 2017). In: es.wikipedia.org.
4. Lime. (August 7, 2014). At: newworldencyclopedia.org.
5. Robinson, D. (October 11, 2016). Lime. In: britannica.com.