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554 pages

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A recognized Latin American history masterpiece "The History of the Conquest of Peru" offers an authoritative vision of Pizarro's turbulent defeat of the Inca Empire. Overflowing with spectacle, every page encapsulates the ruthlessness and arrogance of the conquistadors.

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 janvier 2009
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781775413905
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0230€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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THE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF PERU
* * *
WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT

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The History of the Conquest of Peru From a 1850 edition.
ISBN 978-1-775413-90-5
© 2009 THE FLOATING PRESS.
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
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Contents
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Preface BOOK I - INTRODUCTION VIEW OF THE CIVILIZATION OF THE INCAS Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V BOOK II - DISCOVERY OF PERU Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV BOOK III - CONQUEST OF PERU Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X BOOK IV - CIVIL WARS OF THE CONQUERORS Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX BOOK V - SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter III Chapter IV APPENDICES No. I No. II No. III No. IV No. V No. VI No. VII No. VIII No. IX No. X No. XI No. XII No. XIII No. XIV Endnotes

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"Congestae cumulantur opes, orbisque rapinas Accipit." Claudian, In Ruf., lib. i., v. 194.
"So color de religion Van a buscar plata y oro Del encubierto tesoro." Lope De Vega, El Nuevo Mundo, Jorn. 1.
Preface
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The most brilliant passages in the history of Spanish adventurein the New World are undoubtedly afforded by the conquests ofMexico and Peru, - the two states which combined with the largestextent of empire a refined social polity, and considerableprogress in the arts of civilization. Indeed, so prominently dothey stand out on the great canvas of history, that the name ofthe one, notwithstanding the contrast they exhibit in theirrespective institutions, most naturally suggests that of theother; and, when I sent to Spain to collect materials for anaccount of the Conquest of Mexico, I included in my researchesthose relating to the Conquest of Peru.
The larger part of the documents, in both cases, was obtainedfrom the same great repository, - the archives of the RoyalAcademy of History at Madrid; a body specially intrusted with thepreservation of whatever may serve to illustrate the Spanishcolonial annals. The richest portion of its collection isprobably that furnished by the papers of Munoz. This eminentscholar, the historiographer of the Indies, employed nearly fiftyyears of his life in amassing materials for a history of Spanishdiscovery and conquest in America. For this, as he acted underthe authority of the government, every facility was afforded him;and public offices and private depositories, in all the principalcities of the empire, both at home and throughout the wide extentof its colonial possessions, were freely opened to hisinspection. The result was a magnificent collection ofmanuscripts, many of which he patiently transcribed with his ownhand. But he did not live to reap the fruits of his perseveringindustry. The first volume, relative to the voyages of Columbus,was scarcely finished when he died; and his manuscripts, at leastthat portion of them which have reference to Mexico and Peru,were destined to serve the uses of another, an inhabitant of thatNew World to which they related.
Another scholar, to whose literary stores I am largely indebted,is Don Martin Fernandez de Navarrete, late Director of the RoyalAcademy of History. Through the greater part of his long life hewas employed in assembling original documents to illustrate thecolonial annals. Many of these have been incorporated in hisgreat work, "Coleccion de los Viages y Descubrimientos," which,although far from being completed after the original plan of itsauthor, is of inestimable service to the historian. In followingdown the track of discovery, Navarrete turned aside from theconquests of Mexico and Peru, to exhibit the voyages of hiscountrymen in the Indian seas. His manuscripts, relating to thetwo former countries, he courteously allowed to be copied for me.Some of them have since appeared in print, under the auspices ofhis learned coadjutors, Salva and Baranda, associated with him inthe Academy; but the documents placed in my hands form a mostimportant contribution to my materials for the present history.
The death of this illustrious man, which occurred some time afterthe present work was begun, has left a void in his country noteasy to be filled; for he was zealously devoted to letters, andfew have done more to extend the knowledge of her colonialhistory. Far from an exclusive solicitude for his own literaryprojects, he was ever ready to extend his sympathy and assistanceto those of others. His reputation as a scholar was enhanced bythe higher qualities which he possessed as a man, - by hisbenevolence, his simplicity of manners, and unsullied moralworth. My own obligations to him are large; for from thepublication of my first historical work, down to the last week ofhis life, I have constantly received proofs from him of hishearty and most efficient interest in the prosecution of myhistorical labors; and I now the more willingly pay thiswell-merited tribute to his deserts, that it must be exempt fromall suspicion of flattery.
In the list of those to whom I have been indebted for materials,I must, also, include the name of M. Ternaux-Compans, so wellknown by his faithful and elegant French versions of the Munozmanuscripts; and that of my friend Don Pascual de Gayangos, who,under the modest dress of translation, has furnished a most acuteand learned commentary on Spanish-Arabian history, - securing forhimself the foremost rank in that difficult department ofletters, which has been illumined by the labors of a Masdeu, aCasiri, and a Conde.
To the materials derived from these sources, I have added somemanuscripts of an important character from the library of theEscurial. These, which chiefly relate to the ancient institutionsof Peru, formed part of the splendid collection of LordKingsborough, which has unfortunately shared the lot of mostliterary collections, and been dispersed, since the death of itsnoble author. For these I am indebted to that industriousbibliographer, Mr. O. Rich, now resident in London. Lastly, Imust not omit to mention my obligations, in another way, to myfriend Charles Folsom, Esq., the learned librarian of the BostonAthenaeum; whose minute acquaintance with the grammaticalstructure and the true idiom of our English tongue has enabled meto correct many inaccuracies into which I had fallen in thecomposition both of this and of my former works.
From these different sources I have accumulated a large amount ofmanuscripts, of the most various character, and from the mostauthentic sources; royal grants and ordinances, instructions ofthe Court, letters of the Emperor to the great colonial officers,municipal records, personal diaries and memoranda, and a mass ofprivate correspondence of the principal actors in this turbulentdrama. Perhaps it was the turbulent state of the country whichled to a more frequent correspondence between the government athome and the colonial officers. But, whatever be the cause, thecollection of manuscript materials in reference to Peru is fullerand more complete than that which relates to Mexico; so thatthere is scarcely a nook or corner so obscure, in the path of theadventurer, that some light has not been thrown on it by thewritten correspondence of the period. The historian has ratherhad occasion to complain of the embarras des richesses; for, inthe multiplicity of contradictory testimony, it is not alwayseasy to detect the truth, as the multiplicity of cross-lights isapt to dazzle and bewilder the eye of the spectator.
The present History has been conducted on the same general planwith that of the Conquest of Mexico. In an Introductory Book, Ihave endeavoured to portray the institutions of the Incas, thatthe reader may be acquainted with the character and condition ofthat extraordinary race, before he enters on the story of theirsubjugation. The remaining books are occupied with the narrativeof the Conquest. And here, the subject, it must be allowed,notwithstanding the opportunities it presents for the display ofcharacter, strange, romantic incident, and picturesque scenery,does not afford so obvious advantages to the historian as theConquest of Mexico. Indeed, few subjects can present a parallelwith that, for the purposes either of the historian or the poet.The natural development of the story, there, is precisely whatwould be prescribed by the severest rules of art. The conquestof the country is the great end always in the view of the reader.From the first landing of the Spaniards on the soil, theirsubsequent adventures, their battles and negotiations, theirruinous retreat, their rally and final siege, all tend to thisgrand result, till the long series is closed by the downfall ofthe capital. In the march of events, all moves steadily forwardto this consummation. It is a magnificent epic, in which theunity of interest is complete.
In the "Conquest of Peru," the action, so far as it is founded onthe subversion of the Incas, terminates long before the close ofthe narrative. The remaining portion is taken up with the fiercefeuds of the Conquerors, which would seem, from their verynature, to be incapable of being gathered round a central pointof interest. To secure this, we must look beyond the immediateoverthrow of the Indian empire. The conquest of the natives isbut the first step, to be followed by the conquest of theSpaniards, - the rebel Spaniards, themselves, - till thesupremacy of the Crown is permanently established over thecountry. It is not till this period, that the