Topa Atao was a brother and commander of Huascar

Huáscar

Huáscar Inca was Sapa Inca of the Inca empire from 1527 to 1532 AD, succeeding his father Huayna Capac and brother Ninan Cuyochi, both of whom died of smallpox while campaigning near Quito.After the conquest, the Spanish put forth the idea that Huayna Capac may have...

's forces in the Inca Civil War

Inca Civil War

The Inca Civil War, the Inca Dynastic War, the Inca War of Succession, or, sometimes, the War of the Two Brothers was fought between two brothers, Huáscar and Atahualpa, sons of Huayna Capac, over the succession to the Inca throne. The war followed Huayna Capac's death in 1527, although it did not...

. After defeat at Chimborazo

Battle of Chimborazo

The Battle of Chimborazo was among the first confrontations in the War of the two brothers, a struggle between Huáscar and Atahualpa for power over the Inca Empire. Atahualpa won, having the more capable generals; he drove Huáscar back onto the defensive....

 and the initial success at halting Atahualpa

Atahualpa

Atahualpa, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa, or Atawallpa , was the last Sapa Inca or sovereign emperor of the Tahuantinsuyu, or the Inca Empire, prior to the Spanish conquest of Peru...

's forces at Huanucopampa

Battle of Huanucopampa

After the disastrous battle of Chimborazo, the expected victor of the war, Huáscar, had been deeply humiliated, his army routed and forced to withdraw to the south, shadowed by a contingent of the northerners sent by Atahualpa under the command of generals Chalcuchimac and Quizquiz, possibly as...

, he was ordered by the retreating Huascar to lead a force of recognition into a ravine upon the emerging armies of Chalkuchimac and Quizquiz

Quizquiz

Quizquiz or Quisquis was, along with Chalkuchimac and Rumiñahui, one of Atahualpa's leading generals. In April 1532, along with his companions, Quizquiz led the armies of Atahualpa to victory in the battles of Mullihambato, Chimborazo and Quipaipan, where he, along with Chalkuchimac defeated and...

. Chalkuchimac divided up his forces, attacking Topa Atao from several directions, capturing him and destroying the recognition force. His fate remains unknown. He was possibly gored in the head by zealous warriors who wanted to have his position. He was an Inca