Diego de Landa (1524–1579).
Relation des choses de Yucatán… par l’abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg [Account of things of Yucatan…Translated and with an introduction by Abbé (Charles-Éttiene) Brasseur de Bourvbourg].
Paris: Auguste Durand, 1864.
Jay I. Kislak Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (102)
Account of Maya History and Culture
Diego de Landa went to Yucatan as one of its first Franciscan missionaries and converted many natives to Christianity. Many of his flock, however, did not abandon their traditional religion when they accepted the new one. Starting in 1562, Landa interrogated hundreds of indigenous peoples and burned countless books of “Devil worship.” Soon after he returned to Spain, he wrote this indispensable account of Maya history and culture. He returned to America in 1573 as Bishop of Merida.