Manco II, with thousands of his followers and carrying the mummies of his ancestors, retired to prepared positions within the
massif of Vilcabamba, the mountainous terrain northwest of Cusco. There he created a Neo-Inca state, from which he led his
warriors in attacks on the Spaniards. Pizarro set up Ayacucho as a barracks town to defend the royal road south of Cusco
against the sallies of Manco's warriors. Meanwhile, the civil wars between Pizarro's forces and Almagro's ``men of Chile''
continued. In 1538 Almagro was captured and executed; three years later, Pizarro in turn was murdered by the men of Chile.
New leaders of the factions came to the force. In the Battle of Chupas (fought near Ayacucho in 1542) the Inca aided the men
of Chile against the King's troops, and when the latter prevailed, six of the defeated men of Chile took refuge in the Neo-Inca
state. The Spaniards taught the Indians to ride horses, repair guns, and operate hand forges; this, plus the firearms, clothes,
pikes, and money which the Indians took from waylaid Spaniards using the royal road made it possible for them to equip a
small army.