[GUALDO PRIORATO (Galeazzo)] - Lot 489

[GUALDO PRIORATO (Galeazzo)] Le Guerrier prudent et polytique. Paris, de Sommaville ; Courbé, 1643. In-4: 5f, 305pp, (1). Minor pagination errors. Light stain at beginning of book, central reinforcing band on first 2 leaves. Contemporary glazed fawn calf, spine ribbed and ornamented, one jaw awkwardly restored, headbands foxed, double gilt fillet framing the boards, small leather chips on the edges and corners, one corner bent, binding quite solid. Extremely rare first French edition, of which there has never been a French edition. The original Italian edition appeared in Venice in 1640. A study of war, dealing with its causes, peoples, armies, leaders, terrain and cartography, the attack and defense of places, diplomatic strategy in wartime, and its political consequences. The author, a great captain, traveler and historiographer, learned the profession of arms from his father, the Count of Comazzo, and first served the United Provinces, where he took part in the siege of Breda. He embarked for Brazil, but stopped off in Morocco en route before returning to France. He then devoted himself to writing books, mainly historiographical, but also the famous Guerrier Prudent. Provenance: Handwritten bookplate of Dr. de Pontac, jurisprima subsidiorum Aquitaniae curia protoprisidia.