Passion or Profession: Historian

Period: 1539–1616

The son of a Spanish conqueror and an Incan princess, Gómez Suárez de Figueroa’s mother taught him her people’s language and customs, while his father taught him Spanish traditions. He changed his name to Inca Garcilaso de la Vega to reflect his dual heritage and became known for writing a more accurate account of Incan civilization than any other historian of his time.