Alonso Carrió de la Vandera facts for kids
Alonso Carrió de la Vandera (born around 1715 in Gijón, Spain – died 1783 in Lima, Peru) was a Spanish government official, writer, and traveler. He spent most of his life in the huge Spanish territory called the Viceroyalty of Perú. For many years, he managed the Royal Mail service there. He is also known by the names La Vandera and Concolorcorvo.
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Who Was Alonso Carrió de la Vandera?
Alonso Carrió de la Vandera is best known for writing a very important book. Its full title is El lazarillo de ciegos caminantes desde Buenos-Ayres hasta Lima. This long title means The Guide for the Inexperienced from Buenos Aires to Lima.
About His Famous Book
The book was supposedly printed in Gijón in 1773. It claimed to be written by someone named Calixto Bustamante Carlos, also known as Concolorcorvo. This person said he wrote it using the memories of Don Alonso Carrió de la Vandera. However, researchers have since found out the truth. The book was actually published in Lima, Peru, around 1775 or 1776. They also discovered that Alonso Carrió de la Vandera himself was the real author.
What the Book is About
Carrió's "guide" is a fascinating source of information. It tells us a lot about the geography, society, and history of central South America during his time. This area included parts of what are now Perú, Bolivia, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. The book also has parts that remind us of old Spanish adventure stories called picaresque novels. Its title even refers to a famous one, Lazarillo de Tormes.
Why the Book is Important
The book's importance grew even more just a few years after it was written. The Kingdom of Spain created a new territory called the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This new area split off from the Viceroyalty of Peru. It included all the lands east of the Andes mountains. This change dramatically reduced travel between Buenos Aires and Lima. Carrió's book describes this exact journey, making it a valuable historical record of a route that soon became less common.
See also
In Spanish: Alonso Carrió de la Vandera para niños
