The Moche drew upon ancient Andean traditions but reformulated them and created new styles and technologies. They attained their greatest power between a.d. 100 and 800 and extended their influence throughout the river valleys that cut through the north coast desert. For a number of reasons the Moche collapsed, but their legacy was passed to the succeeding Lambayeque and Chimu cultures, which, in turn, influenced the Inca, the dominant culture encountered by the Spanish conquistadors who arrived in 1532.