Present State of the Empire of Morocco; With a faithful account of the manners, religion, and government of that people

[xxiv]+216+[12] pages with frontispiece, folding map and eight engraved costume plates. Duodecimo (6 ¼" x 3 ½") early full calf, later spine label. First Edition in English. First published in French the prior year which was published without the plates.

François Pidou de Saint Olon was a French diplomat under Louis XIV. In 1682, he was nominated as the first French resident envoy to the Republic of Genoa, following the Bombardment of Genoa. He was then sent as an envoy to Madrid. In 1689 , François Pidou was appointed ambassador to the court of Sultan Moulay Ismail, for the signing of a commercial treaty and to release prisoners, now slaves, of Barbary corsairs of Salé for 233 including 29 bedridden Moroccan prisoners held by the French. His mission was not successful, however, he continued to stay more than three weeks more in Morocco. The book gains particular interest through its author's position as ambassador, giving him access (not always voluntary), to areas of Moroccan society previously unrecorded by travelers. There are detailed descriptions of Moroccan dress, and the book is beautifully illustrated with eight engraved plates of Moroccan men and women in traditional costume.

Condition:

With the fine copper engraved frontispiece of the overall state of Morocco which is quite rare and is often found missing in most copies. Joints cracking, spine chipped at edges; foxing else very good.