First and only edition of an important oration proudly announcing the Portuguese expansions in Africa, Arabia and India, with special mention of the conquest of Azamor (present day Azemmour, Morocco) in August 1513. The oration was delivered to Pope Leo X (1475-1521) on 20 March 1514 to draw his attention to the latest Portuguese victories. No expenses were spared for this delivery, as the oration was accompanied by lavish gifts brought from Asia, including "Indian slaves, Persian horses, two leopards, a young panther, colourful parrots and a trained elephant [...], which caused a sensation as it bowed three times before the pope and squirted water from its trunk over the admiring multitude" (Lach).
The oration was delivered by Diego Pachego (dates unknown), "an eminent Portuguese jurist, [who] gave the formal orations for his country in 1505 and 1514, on two of the most important occasions when the Portuguese announced to the papacy their progress in Asia" (Lach). Pachego was a member of the Portuguese embassy of obedience, intended to pay homage to a newly elected pope and hopefully gain his favour. As other countries, especially Spain, wanted to claim important regions such as the Spice Islands, the support of the pope meant these would remain in Portuguese hands. King Manuel I (1469-1521) was highly aware of this, so when Leo X became pope in 1513, he was determined that his mission of obedience would be such as had never been seen before. He sent all the riches that his Asian territories had to offer: the finest brocades, the most precious metals, the rarest gems, and the most exotic animals, including the white Indian elephant Hanno, which was sent directly from India and became the pope's favorite pet. The present oration was also part of this event. It stressed the king's obedience to the pope and itemised his great successes in the East and in Africa. Despite its importance, however, the oration is quite rare, as we have only been able to find 3 other copies in sales records of the past hundred years.
The work is slightly browned, with brown stains on the title page, pp. 5-8, and pp. 13-14, a small hole in p. 5, affecting 1 letter, a small water stain in the lower margin throughout. Otherwise in good condition. BMC Italian, p. 483 (wrongly dated 1513); Edit 16 56280 (12 copies); OPAC SBN CFIE030609 (11 copies, incl. 1 incomplete); USTC 845977 (11 copies); WorldCat 727385121, 1088206352 (13 copies); cf. Lach, Asia in the making of Europe, vol. I, book 1, pp. 167-168, and vol. II, book 2, p. 8.