Ioannis Christophori Calveti Stellae De rebus indicis ad Philippum Catholicum Hispaniarum et Indiarum Regem libri septem

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KlappentextThis work is a critical edition of the major Latin work of the Spanish humanist Juan Cristsbal Calvete de Estrella (XVIth c.). Therfore the three extant manuscripts have been fully collated and discussed, coming to the conclusion that the most important one is the manuscript in „Bibliotheca del Sacromonte“, from which the other two codices („Biblioteca de Palacio“ 2652-2653 and Biblioteca de la Real Academia de la Historia 9-29-4/5881, both in Madrid) were independently copied, but since „Sacromontanus“ lacks six books, these must be reconstituted starting from the others. Printed Spanish and many of the classical Latin sources of the author have been located and applied to the textual study of work. Latin text is provided for the first time with a critical apparatus. A brief introduction and an index of names complete the edition. The main purpose of the author when writing De rebus Indicis was to vindicate the government of Cristsbal Vaca de Castro in Peru (1541-1544) and so his voyage to America till the battle of Chupas comprises the bulk of the work (books 5-7), but before dealing with this subject, the author recounts some outstanding episodes of the discovery of America and the whole history of Peru until this moment, including its geography and inhabitants.