The Conquests of Mexico And PeruWith its vivid language and bold strokes, the magnificent History of the Conquest of Peru, first published in 1847, is one of historian William Prescott's landmark works. A masterly study of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro's overthrow of the Inca Empire, this astonishing chronicle is considered a classic of Latin American history. Noted for its striking portrayal of the Spanish character, the book rings with a "fusion of courage, cruelty, pride, and gallows humor," says Darnell. "We seem to be overhearing dialogue and observing firsthand the interaction between the Spaniards as they struggle for control of an empire." He hails this as "an immensely readable history."Also available from Cosimo Classics: History of the Conquest of Mexico, Prescott's companion volume about Cort s's subjugation of the Aztecs.Historian, writer, and scholar WILLIAM HICKLING PRESCOTT (1796-1859) was born in Salem, Massachusetts. A regular contributor to the prestigious Boston literary journal North American Review, he also authored numerous books of history, including 1837's The History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic, a critical and popular success in both America and Europe. |
Contents
Section 17 | 997 |
Section 18 | 1015 |
Section 19 | 1036 |
Section 20 | 1049 |
Section 21 | 1061 |
Section 22 | 1072 |
Section 23 | 1082 |
Section 24 | 1098 |
Section 9 | 863 |
Section 10 | 883 |
Section 11 | 898 |
Section 12 | 908 |
Section 13 | 935 |
Section 14 | 952 |
Section 15 | 964 |
Section 16 | 982 |
Section 25 | 1119 |
Section 26 | 1131 |
Section 27 | 1142 |
Section 28 | 1163 |
Section 29 | 1178 |
Section 30 | 1196 |
Section 31 | 1214 |
Common terms and phrases
adventurers Almagro Alonso de Alvarado Alvarado ancient Annales aņo arms army Atahuallpa authority Barcia Blasco Nuņez brother capital Carbajal Carta casas Castile Castilian cavalier Caxamalca character civilization coast colony commander Conq Conquerors Conquest Cronica Crown Cuzco del Peru Descub empire enemy Espaņoles expedition favor Fernandez followers force fortunes Garcilasso Gasca gente gold Gonzalo Pizarro governor hands Hernando Pizarro Herrera Hist historian honor horse Huascar Huayna Capac hundred Ibid Inca Indian Indios land las Indias latter Lima monarch Montesinos mountains MS.-Herrera natives officers Ondegardo Orgoņez Oviedo Panamá party Pedro Pizarro person Peru Peruvian Piru plata present quarters Quito Real received Relacion del Primer Relacion Sumaria royal Sarmiento seemed Seņor sent silver soldiers Spaniards Spanish spirit temple tenia tierra tion troops Tumbez ubi supra Vaca de Castro Valdivia vessel viceroy Xauxa Xerez y Conq Zarate
Popular passages
Page 749 - The body of the deceased Inca was skilfully embalmed, and removed to the great temple of the Sun at Cuzco. There the Peruvian sovereign, on entering the awful sanctuary, might behold the effigies of his royal ancestors, ranged in opposite files, — the men on the right, and their queens on the left, of the great luminary which blazed in refulgent gold on the walls of the temple. The bodies, clothed in the princely attire which they had been accustomed to wear, were placed on chairs of gold. and...
Page 764 - No man could be rich, no man could be poor in Peru; but all might enjoy and did enjoy, a competence. Ambition, avarice, the love of change, the morbid spirit of discontent, those passions which most agitate the minds of men, found no place in the bosom of the Peruvian.
Page 738 - Oceano (Madrid, 1730), dec. 6, lib. 6, cap. 9.) McCulloh, in some sensible reflections on the origin of the Peruvian civilization, adduces, on the authority of Garcilasso de la Vega, the famous temple of Pachacamac, not far from Lima, as an example of architecture more ancient than that of the Incas. (Researches, Philosophical and Antiquarian, concerning the Aboriginal History of America (Baltimore, 1829), p.