The History of the Conquest of Peru
William H. Prescott
- Originally
- published
- in
- 1847,
- History
- of
- the
- Conquest
- of
- Peru,
- a
- companion
- volume
- to
- William
- H.
- Prescott's
- masterly
- History
- of
- the
- Conquest
- of
- Mexico,
- continues
- his
- vivid
- chronicle
- of
- Spanish
- exploits
- in
- the
- New
- World.
- The
- book's
- commanding
- vision
- of
- Pizarro's
- tumultuous
- overthrow
- of
- the
- Inca
- empire
- has
- secured
- its
- reputation
- as
- a
- classic
- in
- the
- literature
- of
- Latin
- American
- history.'History
- of
- the
- Conquest
- of
- Peru
- represents
- an
- author's
- triumph
- over
- his
- materials,'
- observed
- Donald
- G.
- Darnell,
- one
- of
- the
- historian's
- several
- biographers.
- 'Prescott
- exploits
- to
- the
- fullest
- any
- opportunities
- for
- dramatic
- effects
- that
- history
- might
- provide
- him.
- .
- .
- .
- If
- there
- is
- one
- [distinguishing]
- feature
- of
- the
- Conquest
- of
- Peru
- .
- .
- .
- it
- is
- the
- portrayal
- of
- the
- Spanish
- character,
- that
- striking
- fusion
- of
- courage,
- cruelty,
- pride,
- and
- gallows
- humor.
- .
- .
- .
- We
- seem
- to
- be
- overhearing
- dialogue
- and
- observing
- firsthand
- the
- interaction
- between
- the
- Spaniards
- as
- they
- struggle
- for
- control
- of
- an
- empire.
- .
- .
- .
- Although
- Peru
- lacks
- a
- noble
- protagonist
- .
- .
- .
- it
- is
- still
- an
- immensely
- readable
- history.
- The
- description
- of
- the
- Inca
- civilization,
- particularly
- its
- wealth,
- the
- precise
- explanation
- of
- the
- cause
- of
- the
- conflict
- between
- the
- conquerors,
- and
- the
- depiction
- of
- the
- Spanish
- character--these
- together
- with
- the
- careful
- research,
- the
- sheer
- abundance
- of
- anecdotes,
- and
- the
- exploitation
- of
- primary
- materials
- all
- contribute
- to
- the
- history's
- continuing popularity.'
