Although there have been curious Spaniards who have written accounts of the commonwealths of the New World, such as that of Mexico, that of Peru, and those of other kingdoms of heathendom, yet these accounts have not been so complete as they might have been. I have remarked this particularly in the accounts which I have seen written, of affairs in Peru, concerning which, as a native of the city of Cuzco, the Rome of that empire, I have a fuller and clearer knowledge than has hitherto been supplied by any writer. It is true that former writers touch upon many of the great events which occurred in the empire of Peru, but they write them so briefly that (owing to the manner in which they are told) I am scarcely able to understand them. For this reason, and influenced by a natural love of my country, I undertook the task of writing these Commentaries, in which the events that happened in that land, before the arrival of the Spaniards, are clearly and distinctly set forth, as well touching the rites of their vain religion, as the government of their kings during peace and war, and all other things that relate to those Indians, from the lowest affairs of the vassals to the highest matters touching the royal crown. I only write concerning the events of the empire of the Yncas, without entering upon those of other monarchies, respecting which I have no knowledge. In the text of the history I protest concerning its truth, and that I affirm no important circumstance that is not authorised by the Spanish historians, either in part or altogether.