History of the Conquest of Peru by William H. Prescott | 2-Volume Set, Universal Edition (1874)

A handsomely bound 2-volume set of William H. Prescott’s History of the Conquest of Peru, edited by John Foster Kirk and published by J.B. Lippincott Company. This edition, known as the “Universal Edition,” presents the epic narrative of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in an elegant format with gilt crests to spine and engraved portraits of key historical figures, including Francisco Pizarro and Pedro de la Gasca.

First published in 1847, this revised 1874 edition retains Prescott’s elegant prose and meticulous scholarship, chronicling the rise and fall of Incan civilization, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the brutal conflict that followed. The books include an introduction on the civilization of the Incas, detailed coverage of the discovery and conquest of Peru, and extensive sections on the civil wars among the conquerors and the eventual colonial settlement.

Volume I Includes:
    •    Civilization of the Incas
    •    Discovery of Peru
    •    Conquest of Peru

Volume II Includes:
    •    Civil Wars of the Conquerors
    •    Settlement of the Country
    •    Appendices and Historical Notes

   
 Original publisher’s dark green cloth binding with ornate gilt-embossed coat of arms on spine. Engraved frontispieces in each volume. Bindings are tight and corners gently bumped. Light shelfwear to spine ends. Interiors are clean and unmarked. Gilt on spine remains bright. 510pp,530pp.
 

Condition: Very Good

Size: 5 1/4” x 7 1/2”

A solid, attractive set of this foundational work in American historiography.