New World News, Ancient Echoes: A Cortés Letter and a Vernacular Livy for a New King and His Wary Subjects (1520–23)

• Published in: Renaissance quarterly Vol. 61; no. 3; pp. 711 - 749
• Main Author: Wright, Elizabeth
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge The Renaissance Society of America 22.09.2008; Renaissance Society of America; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Advertisements; Aragonese; Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500-1558); Colloquial language; Colonialism; Cortes, Hernan; Cortes, Hernando (1485-1547); Emperors; Frontispieces; German language; Historic documents; Illustration; Image editing; Immigrants; Interpreters; Kings; Letters; Mexican history; Politics; Printing; Recycling; Retail stores; Sieges; Spanish language; Studies; Woodcuts; Mexico; Spain

Empire building converges with print innovations in the rare Zaragoza edition (1523) of the landmark “Second Letter from Mexico” of Hernán Cortés. The Aragonese print shop owned by German immigrant George Coçi advertised what, to its first interpreters, was stunning news from a still mysterious plac...