What was the Inca term for the emperor?

The Inca term for the emperor was Sapa Inca. In Quechua, the title is commonly understood as “unique Inca” or “sole Inca,” reflecting the ruler’s supreme position over the empire, which the Incas called Tawantinsuyu.

The Sapa Inca combined political, military, economic, and religious authority. Inca rulers were believed to have a special relationship with Inti, the Sun god, and the emperor stood at the top of a highly organized hierarchy. The title became firmly associated with the imperial monarch during the later history of the Inca state.

A common mix-up is treating “Inca” as only the emperor’s title. Inca could refer to the ruling people, the empire, or members of the royal lineage, while Sapa Inca specifically identified the supreme monarch. “Curaca” was a local ruler or community chief, “Viracocha” was a deity and also the name of an emperor, and “Tlatoani” was the Nahuatl title used by Aztec rulers.