Espagnol

1639 · ABC_50152 — Madrid 1639. Folio c. 29 x 20.1 cm. Diego Diaz Unbound housed in a plastic folder. 2 ll. Rare 17th-century Spanish pamphlet documenting the maritime activities of the Royal Armada of Dunkirk and privateers along the coasts of France England and other territories from 1 May to 31 December 1638. This detailed account lists 118 captured vessels including warships frigates and small craft many laden with highly valuable cargoes such as silk spices wine sugar salt precious metals and pearls.Printed in Madrid it served both as a record of naval prizes and a public announcement of military success during the turbulent years of the Eighty Years’ War 1568-1648 and concurrent Franco-Spanish conflicts. Dunkirk then a major Spanish port in the Low Countries was a base for state-authorised privateers corsarios whose daring raids on enemy shipping are vividly detailed here including the disposition of artillery captured crews and the fate of vessels either incorporated into the Spanish fleet or destroyed.The present work emphasizes the skill and bravery of the Dunkirkers noting that despite repeated attempts by Dutch fleets to block them only one Spanish warship was lost over thirty months of operations while over 800 enemy ships were captured. It is an exceptional example of early modern naval reporting illustrating not only the logistics and spoils of naval warfare but also the political and economic role of privateering in Spanish maritime strategy.The leaves are slightly browned and foxed the gutter of the second leaf has been reinforced with a manuscript page number "124" and "125" at the recto of the first leaf and the verso of the last leaf. Otherwise in good condition.l Catálogo y Biblioteca Digital de Relaciones de Sucesos CBDRS 0001964; WorldCat 1025513992 224450878 7 copies. unknown