HISTORIA DE LA CONQUISTA DE MEXICO, POBLACION, Y PROGRESSOS DE LA AMERICA SEPTENTRIONAL, CONOCIDA POR EL NOMBRE DE NUEVA ESPAÑA.

Solís y Ribadeneyra, Antonio de:

Published by Madrid: Bernardo de Villa-Diego, 1684.

About this Item

First edition of one of the classic works of Mexican history, by one of the great Spanish writers of the time. Antonio de Solís y Ribadeneyra (1610-1686) was a prominent Spanish playwright and historian. His HISTORIA., covering the three years between Cortés' appointment as commander of the expedition to secure central Mexico and the ultimate fall of the city, is regarded as a great work of Spanish Baroque prose; Solís was later dubbed the "Cronista de Indias" (Chronicler of the Indies). Prescott called it "the most remarkable history in the Castilian language," and other authorities have followed suit in praising it as a basic work on the conquest of Mexico. French and Italian translations followed in the 1690s, and an English translation by Thomas Townsend appeared in 1724. The book was extremely popular on both sides of the Atlantic for decades, and remained the most important European source on Latin American history until the 19th century. SABIN 86446. MEDINA, BHA 1773. JCB (2)II:1300. PALAU 318602. EUROPEAN AMERICANA 684/167. Small folio. Contemporary calf, spine gilt with raised bands, later burgundy morocco gilt label. Some wear and scuffing to boards, corners bumped, a few small worm holes to spine ends, hinges reinforced. Three leaves with internal tears at the inner margin of the text block (likely caused by a combination of thin paper and an overly enthusiastic pressman), small wormhole at gutter near the bottom of the text block affecting the first twenty leaves (no text affected). Later inscription on front free endpaper, small blindstamped monogram on lower part of printed titlepage. Very good overall.

Seller Inventory # 57602

Bibliographic Details

• Title: HISTORIA DE LA CONQUISTA DE MEXICO, POBLACION, Y PROGRESSOS DE LA AMERICA SEPTENTRIONAL, CONOCIDA POR EL NOMBRE DE NUEVA ESPAÑA.
• Publisher: Madrid: Bernardo de Villa-Diego, 1684.