History of the Conquest of Mexico, with a preliminary view of the Ancient Mexican Civilization, and the Life of the Conqueror, Hernando Cortés

Prescott, William H.

Published by Harper and Brothers, New York, 1843

About this Item

First American edition, second printings of each volume. Frontispiece portraits, signature plate, maps. 3 vols. 8vo. William Hickling Prescott was an American historian and Hispanist who specialized in Late Renaissance Spain and the early Spanish Empire. His work has had great impact on the study of both Spain and of Mesoamerica. He was known as an exhaustive, careful, and systematic historian with a lively writing style. In this book, the History of the Conquest of Mexico, Prescott worked largely from primary sources to describe the Aztec civilization, having rejected most secondary sources as being too biased. He also notably rejected the popular supposition that pre-Columbian civilizations were non-indigenous. Instead Prescott assumed that the natives of Mexico had achieved the heights of Aztec civilization without outside, European influence. This book was well received at the time of its publication despite Prescott's fears to the contrary, and was followed by other works on Mesoamerica, notably The Conquest of Peru. Sabin 65262, BAL 16340; Grolier American 51; Hill 1383 Publisher's brown cloth, blocked in blind, spotting and staining, spines faded, repair at head of vol. 1, other wear. Toning, foxing to the endpapers Frontispiece portraits, signature plate, maps. 3 vols. 8vo First American edition, second printings of each volume. Seller Inventory # 369474

Bibliographic Details

Title: History of the Conquest of Mexico, with a ...

Publisher: Harper and Brothers, New York

Publication Date: 1843

Binding: Hardcover

Edition: 1st Edition