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Istorica Descrittione de tre Regni Congo

Code: 10151

Cavazzi (Giovanni Antonio) Istorica Descrittione de tre Regni Congo,
Matamba, et Angola situati nell' Etiopia Inferiore Occidentale e delle Missioni Apostoliche Esercitateui da Religiosi Capuccini, accvratamente compilata dal P. Gio. Antonio Cavazzi da Montecvccolo sacerdote capvccino, il quale vi fv' prefetto. E nel presente stile ridotta dal P. Fortvnato Alamandini da Bologna Predicatore dell’istesso Ordine...

SECOND EDITION, engraved frontispiece, folding map, 7 full page plates and 35 half page plates, 14 + 786 pages, 4to, contemporary vellum (cover aged discoloured)
Milan, Nelle Stampe dell'Agnelli, 1690

Brunet I, 1699; Sabin 11592; BL 639574.

"Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi, born in Montecuccolo in the province of Modena, was a Capuchin monk sent to the Congo in 1654 as a catethist, where he stayed for thirty-seven years, until 1691. He made a brief journey to Rome in 1670 in the service of the mission, returning to Africa immediately afterwards. He died in Genoa in 1692.

His is one of the most important works about the Congo. Apart from the description of the mission, it contains extensive information concerning the region, which was at the time predominantly unknown. It is a veritable geographical treatise and, as noted by Amat. di S. Filippoi. is of great scientific importance.

Shortly after the expulsion of the Dutch, Cavazzi called at Pernambuco and Bahia, during the administration of Giovani Telo de Silva. He describes his sojourn, the country and gli animali et altri di quelle (the animals and others of those.). In one of the chapters he recounts "the victory gained by the Portuguese over the Dutch, who were occupying Pernambuco”.

There are only two original editions to this work and only appear in Italian. It is a rare and sought after book." Borba de Moraes p.171