A diplomatic mission to the Middle East

Martire d'Anghiera, Pietro. Relationi del signor Pietro Martire milanese. Delle cose notabili della provincia dell'Egitto [...].

Venice, Giorgio de' Cavalli [for Nicolò Bevilacqua], 1564.

Small 8vo. (8) ff. (last blank), 71, (6) ff. (lacking errata). With woodcut printer's device to title page, a headpiece and 3 initials. Contemporary limp vellum with handwritten spine title.

 2.500,00

Early Italian translation of the account of the diplomatic mission to Egypt which Martyr d'Anghiera (1455-1526) undertook in 1501 on behalf of the Spanish court "with the intention of persuading the Sultan to adopt a policy of clemency towards the Christians of Egypt and Palestine following the defeat of the Moors in Spain. The outcome of his visit was successful; Martyr received the title of 'maestro de los caballeros', and in 1504 became Papal protonotary and prior of Granada" (Howgego I, p. 689). The author would achieve fame through his chronicles of the early Spanish expeditions to the New World, an important collection of sources on America.

Title page rather wrinkled and stained; old Italian ownership in ink to reverse. The errata ("Errori fatti nello stamparsi") in this edition sometimes comprise a single leaf (with a final blank), sometimes three leaves (resulting in a total of 9 uncounted leaves at the end), but the present copy wants the errata altogether.

Literatur

Edit 16, CNCE 1888. BM-STC Italian 30. Ibrahim-Hilmy I, 37. Sabin 1559. Streit XV, 1787. Cf. Gay 2500. Not in Adams.

Art.-Nr.: BN#46661 Schlagwörter: , , ,