Part 7 De Bry Grands Voyages - "Das VII Theil America" - Ulrich Schmidel - 1597 - Argentina / Buenos Aires

"Das VII Theil America." - Part 7 De Bry's Grands Voyages in German

"Warhafftige unnd liebliche beschreibung etlicher furnemmen Indianischen Lanschafften und Insulen, die vormals in Keiner Chronicken gedacht, und erstlich in der Schiffart Ulrici Schmidts von Straubingen, mit fgrosser gefahr erkundigt, und von ihm selber auffs fleissigst beschreiben und dargethan."

-Published in Frankfurt in 1597 by Theodore de Bry

-TP, [1], 1-31 numbered leaves (Complete) including 1 engraved plate on page 7.

-Unbound, tightly trimmed, but complete copy.

This is the important account of Ulrich Schmidel (or Schmidl), famous for taking part in Mendoza's 1534 exploration of the River Plata and for being one of the founders of Buenos Aires.

Schmidl was born in Germany and was employed as a Landsknecht, or mercenary. The son of a wealthy merchant, in 1534 he joined Pedro de Mendoza's expedition to Argentina and the Rio de la Plata, which led to the foundation of Buenos Aires.  He stayed in South America until 1552, and during his 18 years on the continent was involved in important expeditions to Paraguay, with Juan de Ayolas and Domingo Irala, where he helped found Asuncion.

On his return he wrote an account of his time in South America, which remains an important primary source, especially as it was not written by a Spanish hand so does not suffer from the same biases. His account describes the indigenous American nations, many of which were wiped out by the Conquistadores. Europeans often described these first nations as primitive as they practiced cannibalism, but in this account Schmidl describes the Spanish also eating their own countrymen and practicing cannibalism.

For other parts of the Grands voyages please click here