| Francisco Chilche | |
|---|---|
| Kuraka of the Cañari | |
| Reign | Unknown-1586 |
| Successor | Hernando Guatanaula |
| Born | 1497 |
| Died | 1586 |
| Issue | Hernando Guatanaula |
Chilche (1497–1586) was a kuraka of the Cañari tribe. He was a courtier of Inca emperor Huayna Capac, surviving the civil war between his successor Huáscar and Atahualpa before allying with Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. He converted to Christianity under the name of Francisco Zaraunanta Chilche and became Pizarro's leading native supporter, eventually becoming governor of the valley of Yucay. Although obscure in modern historiography, he has been deemed one of the most powerful kuraka of Peruvian history.[1]