GARCILASSO DE LA VEGA

The Royal Commentary, or the History of the Yncas, kings of Peru; containing their origin, since the first Ynca Manco Capac, their establishments, their idolatry... Together a particular description of the animals, fruits, minerals, plants, & singularities of the country. Faithfully translated on the Spanish version by J. Baudoin. Paris, Augustin Courbé, 1633. In-4 (224 x 170 mm) of 24 ff.n.ch including an engraved title-frontispice, 1319 pp. 17 ff.n.ch. of table. Mottled calf, double gilt fillet, spine ribbed and decorated, red morocco title page, spotted edges (contemporary binding). Alden-Landis, 633/37; Sabin, 98743; Medina, 658; Palau, 354820; JCB, II, 247. First edition of the French translation, followed only 50 years later by the first English translation. It is based on the Primera parte de los Commentarios reales (Lisbon 1609). Garcilasso de la Vega, known as the Inca (1539-1616) was the natural son of the conquistador Sebastiàn Garcilasso de la Vega and the Inca princess Isabel Chimpu Ocllo, daughter of the king Topa Hualpo and thus granddaughter of the Inca Huayan Capac. Residing in Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire, he left his native city at the death of his father in 1560 to settle in Cordoba in Spain. Considered the first great Peruvian writer, Garcilasso de la Vega was also the first Latin American to write about America from Europe. These commentaries were conceived in two large parts, of which only the first was published during his lifetime. Written under his father's name - he lived until then under the name of Gomez Suarez - this first part is a unique testimony on the history of the Incas seen by a writer in perfect knowledge of the local language and well versed in the customs of the Inca people. Spine skilfully restored, inner spine formerly reinforced. A good copy, complete with the engraved title which is missing in most copies. Provenance: unidentified English bookplate, pasted on another.