A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada. From the Mss. of Fray Antonio Agapida. (two volumes)

Paris: A. & W. Galignani, 1829. Hardcover. Good. Early edition of Irving's sometimes imaginative (though less so than in his biography of Columbus) history of conquest of Granada that saw Ferdinand II defeat Abu Abdallah Muhammad, conquering the last muslim stronghold in Spain in 1491. Irving traveled to Spain in 1826 at the behest of the American Minister and took advantage of the consular archives and newly released manuscripts relating to the 15th century to produce his great romantic account of Columbus and this history of Conquests of Granada. Written with reference to a fictitious monk and his manuscript, Irving nevertheless drew from numerous bona fide sources to produce a genuine, important and rather lively history. Irving had intended to use Fray Antonio Agapida as a pseudonym but was overruled by John Murray, publisher of the first english edition. This edition appeared at the same time and although the Galignanis were notorious pirates, owing to Irving's good relationship with the brothers it is unlikely to be a pirated edition. Half leather with marbled boards. 12mo. (180x110mm) [viii] 435+ [viii] 454 pp. Previous owner's bookplate to front pastedown. Rubbing to edges, rubbing and small nicks to spine. Very mild sparse spotting within. Contents otherwise clean and prim. Bindings tight. Good+