Description
General History of the Things of New Spain
Book Summary
This second volume of Bernardino de Sahagún's monumental work brings together books 7 through 12 of his encyclopedia on Mexica culture. The reader will find a unique testimony, the result of interviews conducted between 1540 and 1590 with indigenous informants in Tlatelolco, Texcoco, and Tenochtitlan. The work offers a direct and detailed vision of Aztec cosmology, astronomy, history, and society, including the account of the Spanish conquest from the perspective of the defeated. It is an indispensable source for understanding pre-Hispanic Mexico.
What is it about?
Sahagún's work is structured into twelve books that systematically address the knowledge and life of the Nahuas. This volume in particular delves into the following aspects:
- Astronomy and cosmology: the sun, the moon, the stars, and the conception of the universe.
- History of the Mexicas: from their legendary origins to the splendor of Tenochtitlan.
- The Spanish conquest: a detailed account of events from the arrival of Hernán Cortés to the fall of the city.
- Commerce and society: mercantile practices, social hierarchies, and daily life.
- Rhetoric and traditional speeches: ways of speaking and prayers in the Nahuatl language.
The text is based on the Florentine Codex, the copy preserved in the Laurentian Library in Florence, as the original manuscript was lost, likely destroyed by Spanish authorities.
Main themes
- Mexica cosmology and astronomy
- History of the Aztec Empire and the conquest of Mexico
- Pre-Hispanic society, commerce, and political organization
- Religion, prayers, and rhetoric in the Nahuatl language
- Ethnography and recording of 16th-century indigenous memory
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for historians, anthropologists, social science students, and any reader interested in the history of Mexico and pre-Columbian America. It will also be of great value to those seeking primary sources on the conquest of Mexico from an indigenous perspective, and to specialists in Sahagún's work and colonial literature.
What this book provides
- Direct access to one of the most complete and authoritative testimonies on Mexica culture.
- A unique vision of the Spanish conquest narrated by the native peoples themselves.
- Deep understanding of the cosmology, astronomy, and social practices of the Nahuas.
- A fundamental document for the study of ethnohistory and Mexican anthropology.
Technical specifications
- Author: de Sahagún, Bernardino
- Publisher: Linkgua Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: CLASSIC TEXTS
- Collection: HISTORY
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publication date: April 2025
- Number of pages: 442
- Weight: 100 g
Editorial review
This hardcover edition of the General History of the Things of New Spain represents an opportunity to access a first-rate historical source. Sahagún's work is a pillar of modern ethnography, and its value lies in the meticulousness with which he collected the knowledge of indigenous informants. For the modern reader, this volume offers a direct window into the pre-Hispanic past and the early colonial years, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Mexico and the encounter between two worlds.