The Spanish Seaborne Empire by J. H. [John Horace] Parry soon to be presented for sale on the wonderful BookLovers of Bath web site!
Published: Hutchinson, 1966, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Illustrated by way of: Black & White Plates; Maps;
From the cover: THIS is the story of the Spanish empire in America, the first of the great seaborne empires of western Europe, for long the richest and most formidable, the focus of envy, fear and hatred. Its small haphazard beginnings date from Columbuss famous voyage of 1492: it was to last more than 300 years, before breaking up in the early nineteenth century in civil wars between rival generals and liberators. How was such an empire created in little more than two generations ? What were the motives and formal theories which underlay conquest and conversion? How did the Spanish Crown seek to control its far-flung conquistadores and viceroys? How was it that the Indies, the supposed source of Spains wealth and power, proved a drain on both, and contributed to the slow decline of Spain in Europe ?
In discussing these questions, Professor Parry describes the complex administration of the empire; its economy splendidly based or so it seemed on gold and silver, but dependent on vulnerable and inadequate fleets; its social structure; the influence of the Church; the rift between American and peninsular Spaniards. No country is allowed to enjoy its empire unchallenged, and Spains early duel with Portugal for the division of the New World, damaging attacks from English and French corsairs in the sixteenth century, the even more deadly rivalry of Holland in the seventeenth, English commercial encroachment in the eighteenth, all play a vital part in the story. No less important are the personalities involved Cortes, Las Casas, Philip II, Bolivar. Historians will be intrigued by such problems as why the Indian population declined so catastrophically and how the Government reacted to the decline; while those who only know of Latin America through tales of Aztecs and Incas, Cortes and Drake, will enjoy discovering the pattern and purpose behind the history of a great empire.
In the History of Human Society series.
Very Good in Good+ Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper with a small nick to the head of the upper panel at the join. Text complete, clean and tight, but with light spotting to the leading edge of the leaves.
Blue boards with Gilt on Green Title Plate titling to the Spine. 416 pages. Index. Bibliography. 9¼” x 6″.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I beguile you with my offerings from hither or maybe further, hand picked, books in my History South America catalogue?
BookLovers of Bath 