The Last of the Conquistadors: Junipero Serra, 1713-1784

by Omer Englebert

Book Overview

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1494102021
• ISBN13: 9781494102029
• Release Date: October 2013
• Publisher: Literary Licensing, LLC
• Length: 394 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

The Struggles of Junipero Serra

This is the second of Englebert's books that I have read, and I can give this one an unqualified favorable review. Blessed Junipero Serra has, of late, been unfairly branded with mistreatment of the natives that he sought to convert.Englebert, however, puts this theory to bed without having the intention of doing so. Published in 1956, this book does not have for its thesis a studied defense of Junipero Serra. The attacks to Serra's character are of recent invention.Yet, Englebert does demonstrate that Junipero Serra deeply loved the natives he sought to bring to the Christian faith. In fact, he was stubborn in his defense of the faults of natives, quick to forgive sins (including the murder of a fellow missionary) and quick to anger the local Spanish Governor by interposing himself between Spanish soldiers and the natives. Englebert depicts Serra as a most strident defender of the natives against abuses (i.e., rapine, murder) by the Spanish soldiers.In short, the lively pace of the book and the gripping detail of an incredible journey make this a very fast read. A large part of the book is made up of Serra's constant battles with the Governor, and his later successors, to encourage the success of the missions, to keep the native converts within the jurisdiction of the Church so as to protect them against abuse, and to ensure the continued success of missionary activity. Through all of this a portrait of the man himself is made more clear.Englebert quotes quite liberally from Serra's journals and the journals of his contemporaries, including those who were opposed to him. To that end, this may be one of the few books found in the English language that liberally quotes source materials for the non-Spanish speaking reader. Thanks to Englebert for this great work of history.