How was Inca society organized into social classes?

Inca society was organized into a rigid, hereditary social class system that placed the Inca royal family at the top and the agricultural masses at the bottom. Between these extremes existed various ranks, including nobles, chiefs, lesser administrators, and highly skilled artisans.1

The structure of this hierarchy included:

• The Royal Family: Traditionally considered to be the descendants of the 12 rulers of Cuzco, though historical documentation for many of these figures remains incomplete.2
• Nobility and Administrators: The state utilized a bureaucratic system to manage the empire. This included ethnic lords who were incorporated into the realm and tasked with maintaining local order and fealty to the state.21
• Artisans: Skilled craftspeople who produced high-quality goods specifically for the state and the nobility.1
• Commoners: The agricultural population, who were organized into units for labor and military service through a decimal system.23

While the system was generally hereditary, some Spanish sources suggest limited social mobility existed, where certain individuals or groups were promoted to "Inca by decree" or "as a privilege".2