Teatro eclesiastico de la primitiva Iglesia de las Indias occidentales: vidas de sus arzobispos, obispos, y cosas memorables de sus sedes / el Maestro Gil Gonzalez Davila
Author: Gil González Dávila (1570–1658)
Year: 1649-1655
Publisher: Díaz de la Carrera
Place: Madrid
Description:
2 volumes in one. [14]+308+[8] pages with map; [8]+119 leaves. Folio (11 1/2" c 8 1/4") bound in leather with five raised spine bands with old label to spine. (European Americana 649/59; Medina, BHA 1133, 1235; Palau 105289; Sabin 18777) First edition.
Includes some valuable vocabularies, and accounts of the first introduction of arts and letters. The illustrations are woodcuts and the engraving is a calculus map, "Juan de Noort sculpture", from the bishopric of Michoacan.
Gil González Dávila studied in Rome . He worked as archivist for the Salamanca Cathedral chapter and was a prolific and highly regarded author in his time and the following century. Later, however, the study of other sources revealed the lack of veracity in his accounts as well as his limited critical thinking. In 1617, Philip III appointed him chronicler of the Kingdom. He wrote several works on the local history of various cities, in addition to biographies of Spanish monarchs and lives of saints. In 1643, Philip IV appointed him Chief Chronicler of the Indies, succeeding Tomás Tamayo de Vargas , who, in 1649, published the first volume of his " Ecclesiastical Theater of the Primitive Church of the Indies ."
Condition:
Rebound in leather. Toning to some of the pages else good to very good.
