Diego Durán
16th century Dominican friar / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Diego Durán?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Diego Durán (c. 1537 – 1588) was a Dominican friar best known for his authorship of one of the earliest Western books on the history and culture of the Aztecs, The History of the Indies of New Spain, a book that was much criticised in his lifetime for helping the "heathen" maintain their culture.[1][citation needed]
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2014) |
Diego Durán | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1537 |
Died | 1588 (aged 50–51) |
Occupation | Dominican friar |
Notable work | The History of the Indies of New Spain |
Also known as the Durán Codex, The History of the Indies of New Spain was completed in about 1581. Durán also wrote Book of the Gods and Rites (1574–1576), and Ancient Calendar (c. 1579).[2] He was fluent in Nahuatl, the Aztec language, and was therefore able to consult natives and Aztec codices as well as work done by earlier friars. His empathetic nature allowed him to gain the confidence of many native people who would not share their stories with other Europeans, and was able to document many previously unknown folktales and legends that make his work unique.