Francisco Alvares
Described by the dealer as a “major Renaissance travel book,” this 16th-century work includes an account of the journey of Portuguese diplomat and explorer Pero da Covilha in Arabia in the late 15th century, where he reportedly became the first European to enter Makkah, which he did disguised as a pilgrim. Covilha’s travels also took him to Jeddah, Madinah, and Mount Sinai. He ended up in Ethiopia, where he met Alvares 30 years later and recounted his journey to him.
Sikander Begum
In 1863, Begum — the ruler of the Indian state of Bhopal — performed Hajj. When she returned to India, she wrote this account of her travels, which was translated into English by Emma Laura Willoughby-Osborne, the wife of the UK’s political agent in Bhopal. The book was published in 1870 and is, the dealer says, “more than just an account of holy sites and rituals, (presenting) glimpses into the social and cultural life of Arabia, particularly the lives of women.”
‘Field Notes on ’
This 1935 report, produced by the body responsible for Britain’s military operations in the region, is described by the dealer as “vanishingly scarce” and “unquestionably the most important contemporary source” regarding the newly consolidated Kingdom of Ibn Saud. It covers a wealth of information, including sections on history, government, resources, and population, where it is stated that Saudis are “perhaps one of the fittest races in the world.”
