How did the civil war and internal divisions help the Spanish conquer the Inca Empire?

The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was significantly facilitated by the internal instability and civil war that plagued the state upon the arrival of the Europeans in 1532.1

Following the death of the emperor Huayna Capac around 1525—likely from a European-introduced disease—a succession crisis erupted between his sons, Atahuallpa and Huascar. This conflict split the empire, with Huascar controlling the south from Cuzco and Atahuallpa holding the north in Ecuador. The brutal civil war, which involved the destruction of entire lineages and the alienation of groups like the Cañari, left the empire deeply divided and militarily exhausted.123

When the Spanish arrived, they exploited these fractures by maneuvering between the rival factions. Furthermore, the extensive road network, which the Inca had built for state and military purposes, ironically facilitated the rapid movement and consolidation of the Spanish forces. By the time the Spanish executed Atahuallpa in 1533, the ongoing disintegration of the empire allowed them to capture Cuzco and establish colonial control with relative ease.14