Deluxe facsimile edition
   Códice de Michoacán

    El Escorial, Biblioteca del Monasterio de San Lorenzo, ms. Ç.IV.S

   

Michoacán (“place of the fish”) is a territory in the middle western part of México which belonged to the Tarasco or Purepecha Kingdom. This codex, copied in the years 1539-1540, contains the narration of a Franciscan monk, whom the American historian Dr. Benedict Warren identified as Fray Gerónimo de Alcalá.  The period covered by his relation goes from the beginning of the XIII century to the XVI century.


The narration is in 3 parts: The first part, unfortunately lost, dealt with the gods and main religious fests of the people of Tarasco.  Second part consists of 35 chapters and relates the wars and settlement in Michoacán.  The last part, 29 chapters,  deals with the forms of government, marriage celebrations and the arrival of the Spaniards.

The codex is an exceptional document, a testimony of the old, courageous and invincible people of Tarasco. The relation of their settlement, wars, customs, religion and forms of government, accompanied by their illustrations is an invaluable treasure not only for México but for America.

The manuscript reached the Library of Philip II and today is one of the most important manuscripts of the Library of the Monastery of San Lorenzo in El Escorial.  In 1869 the first publication of the work appeared in Spain and since then about ten other editions were published, but only now with this facsimile, showing all the best technology of today, do we have a reproduction so close to the original to allow us to fully appreciate and study the codex.

The facsimile: 306 pp in the original format, 15 x 21 cm; commentary (606 pp) with contributions by Armando Mauricio, María del Carmen Hidalgo, Vicenta Cortés, Benedic Warren, Francisco Miranda, Juan José Batalla, and Gerardo Sánchez. Testimonio Compañia Editorial.  Out of print.


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Códice Michoacán
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