Hamish Riley-Smith

PÉTIS DE LA CROIX, François The History of Genghizcan the Great, First Emperor of the Antient Moguls and Tartars; In Four Books: Containing his Life, Advancement and Conquests; with a short History of his Successors to the present time; the Manners, Customs and Laws of the Antient Moguls and Tartars; and the Geography of the vast Countries of Mogolistan, Turquestan, Capschac, Yugurestan, and the Eastern and Western Tartary. Collected from several Oriental Authors, and European Travellers; whose Names, with an an Abridgement of their Lives, are added to this book. London J.Darby 1722

Octavo, contemporary panelled calf, upper hinge split but holding, contemporary green morocco label lettered gilt, gilt armorial to spine, ixpp + (7p) + 448pp, folding engraved map of Northern Asia by William de l’Isle, woodcut initials, printers woodcut devices to chapter openings, engraved armorial bookplate of Thomas Conolly, some light browning on the last few leaves, a good copy.

First Edition in English, translated by the novelist Penelope Aubin [1679-1731]. First published in Paris in French in 1710, François Pétis de la Coix [1653-1713], was royal oriental interpreter under Louis XIV and made several expeditions to the East and spoke Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Tartar as well as Coptic and Armenian. He translated the Arabian Nights Entertainments. He edited this History from the text prepared by his father [also oriental interpreter to the King] who had died in 1695 and had spent ten years in preparing it. The book ends with An Abridgement of the Lives of the Authors, out of whose Works the History of Genghizcan has been collected together with a list of European authorities on Genghizcan.

£1250

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