Jauja (Shawsha Wanka Quechua: Sausa, Shawsha or Shausha, formerly in Spanish Xauxa, with pronunciation of "x" as "sh") is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo (the capital of Junín Region), at an altitude of . Its population in 2015 was 15,432 . Jauja, which flourished for a short time, was once the capital of Spanish Peru, prior to the founding of Lima as the new capital. Its name is referenced in the popular Spanish expression país de Jauja, which literally means "country of Jauja", but is used figuratively to mean a “never never land" or a "land of milk and honey”. The town, with a laid back ambiance and salubrious climate, has narrow streets with houses painted blue. Laguna de Paca lake is close to the city. History Previous to Inca era, the area formed part of the Xauxa-Wanka confederation, a town was inhabited by Xauxa people in the vicinity before the Incas. The Xauxas eventually accepted Inca domination, being renowned warriors Xauxa contributed with soldiers to the campaigns of political and military expansion towards Quito. During the initial expansion of Inca civilization, Incas established the provincial administrative center of "Hatun Xauxa", the head of the province or wanami of Xauxa. The city of Xauxa was interconnected with the rest of the empire by the main section of the Qhapaq Ñam highway, a royal road connecting Cusco to Quito. After the Inca Emperor Wayna Qhapaq died in Quito, his body paused at Xauxa, en route to Cusco, as means of respect for the city and his inhabitants because they had been some of the most loyal to his cause of pacifying the northern provinces, roughly modern-day Ecuador. When Inca civil war broke out, Xauxas supported the Waskar-led faction. Xauxa became military headquarters for the southern faction army against Atawallpa, Xauxa provided soldiers, supplies, storage, etc. to a number of Waskar's generals such as Atoc "The Fox", Hango, or Guanca Auqui the son of Wayna Qhapaq and a Xauxa wife. Eventually, the Waskar's troops lost the city at the hands of the Inca general Challco Chima as Atawallpa's army continued advancing south towards Cusco. After capturing Cusco, the Atawallpa general Quiz Quiz took Waskar hostage and imprisoned him in a fortress of Xauxa, he would be later drowned in the nearby Andamarca river. Months after