Avila y Zuñiga, Commentariorum de bello Germanico, Antwerp, 1550, Bohemian armorial calf dated 1553 for Christopher the Elder Popel of Lobkowicz

AVILA Y ZUÑIGA, LUIS DE. Clarissimi viri D. Ludovici ab Avila et Zunniga, militiae alcantarensis praefecti, Commentariorum de bello Germanico, a Carolo V. caesare maximo gesto, libri duo a Gulielmo Malinaeo Brugensi latine redditi, & iconibus ad historiam accomodis illustrati. Antwerp: Joannes Steelsius, 1550

SECOND EDITION OF THE FIRST LATIN TRANSLATION OF AVILA'S COMMENTARY ON CHARLES V'S WAR against the Protestant league in 1546-47, dedicated by its translator Willem van Male (c.1500-1560) to Cosimo de' Medici, BOUND FOR CHRISTOPHER POPEL THE ELDER OF LOBKOWICZ.

The woodcuts in this volume are as follows: a double-page map of Germania dated 1550, bound after A8, a folding illustration of the Battle of Ingolstadt in 1546, bound after E5, a double-page illustration of Charles V and his army crossing the river Albis (Elbe) at the Battle of Mühlberg in 1547, bound after Q1, a full-page landscape view of Wittenberg and the river Albis, on the verso of R6. The final verso bears the arms of Charles V.

Five volumes with the same insignia, initials and date on the upper cover are known:

i) Giovanni Pontano, Opera. De fortitudine, libri duo; de Principe, liber unus. Lyon: Barthélemy Trot, 1514, castle library of Mnichovo Hradiště (gilt and painted insignia intact)

ii) Samuel Maciejowski, De Sigismundo, Primo Rege Poloniae. Mainz: Behem, 1550 (NUSK Ex 3514)

iii) Giovanni Maria Verrati, Disputationes adversus Lutheranos. Venice: Bindoni, 1547, Südböhmischen wissenschaftlichen Bibliothek, Goldenkron (Zlatá Koruna) (NUSK Ex 3516)

iv) Marco Marulić, Evangelistarium M. Maruli Spalaten. Cologne: Quentell, 1532 (NUSK Ex 3510)

v) Theophylactus de Achrida, Tomus primus enarrationes in quatuor evangelia continens. Basel: Cratander, 1541 (NUSK Ex 3509)

These are identified with the same owner, Kryštof starší Popel z Lobkowicz/Christopher Popel the Elder of Lobkowicz (Christophorus Baro a Lobkowicz Aeques Auratus) (1513-1590). He was part of the Bílina branch of the Popel lords from Lobkowicz, a courtier of the Archduke Arnošta (1553–1595), and a member of the war council. The bindings of NUSK Ex 3514 and NUSK Ex 3509 have been attributed to the Bookbinder with German tools XVII (NUSK 95), working in Northwestern Bohemia around 1553 to 1584. Lobkowicz signed letters "Christophorus Baro à Lobcowicz anno aetatis 1553", and “BARO. A. LOBKOWICZ” is lettered on a commemorative medal, hence the monogram "C.B.A.L.AE.A." on the upper cover of the present volume.