In the midst of a power struggle between two Inca brothers, Francisco Pizarro and his small band of Spaniards seized the opportunity to capture the powerful Inca Emperor Atahualpa, who had just defeated his brother in a brutal civil war. Pizarro, disguised as a priest, duped Atahualpa into meeting him in the town square of Cajamarca, promising peace and friendship. But as soon as Atahualpa arrived, Pizarro's men ambushed the Inca soldiers, slaughtering thousands and taking the emperor prisoner. This daring move marked the beginning of the end of the Inca Empire and the rise of Spanish dominance in South America.