More than a mere treatise on hunting by the Spanish King's greatest crossbowman: the history and usefulness of hunting as training for war
Origen y Dignidad de la Caça

Origen y Dignidad de la Caça
The author of this work, a certain Juan Mateos, identifies himself as the King’s greatest crossbowman
Printed in 1634 by Francisco Martínez (active 1627–45) in Madrid, it is dedicated to the Conde Duque de Olivares
Three folded copperplates depicting hunting scenes, engraved initials, and other ornaments adorn Mateo’s text
Origen y Dignidad de la Caça
Short Description
Hunting was one of the most prominent and iconic features of aristocratic life in the Middle Ages. Hunting served a practical purpose as practice for war, as it required many of the same skills. Killing a boar up close with a spear was about as close as one could get to combat in times of peace. The aristocratic hunt was also a social event and this became increasingly true as time went on, with women participating in hunts in the Late Middle Ages and continued to do so in the 17th century, when this text was published.
Origen y Dignidad de la Caça
The author of this work, a certain Juan Mateos, identifies himself as the King’s greatest crossbowman, and is splendidly pictured on the architectural title page. He begins his treatise on the Origin and Dignity of Hunting by claiming that “The royal exercise of hunting was originated in order to defend men against the wild beasts and to protect their cattle, whose theft was the cause of their deaths” and “the dignity of this noble exercise is an activity for kings and princes, and the most prepared teacher who can best teach the military art, in both theory and practice”. The work is dedicated to the Conde Duque de Olivares and was printed in 1634 by Francisco Martínez (active 1627-45) in Madrid. The text, printed in an elegant Roman script, is adorned by three folded copperplates depicting hunting scenes, engraved initials, and other ornaments. Antonio Sancho Dávila y Toledo, Marqués de Velada (1590–1666) said of the wonderful work: “The treatise is a teacher of real exercises, and is robust, useful for all, and not easy; in this lesson entertained with decorum and illustrated with assisted successes of incomparable majesty, the author deserves praise and the book deserves a printing license to communicate it…”
Codicology
- Style
- Genre
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Origen y Dignidad de la Caça“
Origen y Dignidad de la Caça
- Publisher
- Vicent Garcia Editores – Valencia, 2008
- More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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