' PETER MARTYR, The name most com monly applied to P IETRO MARTIRE DI ANGIIIERA (c.1457-1526), an Italian writer on American history. He was born at Arona, in Northern Italy, probably on February 2, 1457. although his own letters give almost equally good grounds for the years 1455 and 1459 as the date of his birth. In 1477 he went to Rome, where, through the Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, be secured the posi tion of secretary to Francesco Negro. the Gov einor of the city, which he held until August, 1487, when he was induced to go to Spain by the Spanish Ambassador, the Count of Tendilla. There he seems to have quickly become a chronicler, and in this capacity he came under the immediate protection of the Queen. In 1494 he was ordained as a priest and because tutor to the children of Ferdinand and Isabella. In 1501 Ise was intrusted with a diplomatic mission to the Sultan of Egypt, who had threatened to massacre all Christians in his domains in revenge for the expulsion of the Moors from Spain. Martyr's
account of his successful visit to Cairo is nar rated in his Leqatio Babylonica, which lie dedicated to Pope Leo N. Tn reward. he re ceived an appointment as apostolic prothonotary. In 1505 lie also obtained the post of dean of the chapter of the Cathedral of Granada, which he held until his death. Tn 1520 he was appointed royal chronicler or historiographer, and subse quently a member of the Council for the Indies. His principal works are the history of the New World, De Rebus Oceanicis rt Yarn Orb.' Decades, and the Opus EpistolarliM, The Decades constitute an important source for the early period of American discovery. The Opus is an invaluable collection of 816 letters dealing with contemporary events. Consult: Pierre Martyr d'Anghiera, un italien a in tour d'Espagn? (Paris, 1SS7) ; Bernays. Petrus Martyr Anglerius (Strassburg, 1891) : Thacher, Christopher Columbus (New York, 1903).