Horses of the Conquest: A Study of The Steeds of the Spanish Conquistadors

by R.B. Cunninghame Graham

The author was uniquely qualified to pen such an important equestrian tale. Born in 1852 to a aristocratic Scottish family, Cunninghame Graham spent his youth working as a gaucho in Argentina, before becoming an outspoken Member of Parliament in London. A lifelong horseman, Don Roberto was also one of the first European writers to defend the rights of native peoples. Fluent in Spanish, Cunninghame Graham did extensive research into Spanish archives, thereby discovering manuscripts which had lain unread for centuries. The result was a book written, Don Roberto says, out of gratitude to the horses who shaped history. Amply illustrated with drawings of period horses, their riders and various pieces of equestrian equipment, "The Horses of the Conquest" remains one of the most important equestrian books ever published.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1930

About the author

Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham was a Scottish journalist, politician and adventurer who rode with the gauchos on cattle ranches in Argentina before serving as a Liberal Party Member of Parliament (MP). He was the first-ever socialist member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom; was a founder, and the first president, of the Scottish Labour Party; a founder of the National Party of Scotland in 1928; and the first president of the Scottish National Party in 1934.

His books and articles spanned history, biography, poetry, essays, politics, travel and seventeen collections of short stories or literary sketches. He also assisted Joseph Conrad with research for Nostromo.

There is a seat dedicated to Cunninghame Graham in the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh with the inscription: "R B 'Don Roberto' Cunninghame Graham of Gartmore and Ardoch, 1852–1936, A great storyteller".

Reviews

[Xina Uhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this rather dated, but still fascinating book. Published in 1930, it retains an awe-filled opinion of Cortes which hasn't stood the test of time. However, apart from that, it was an enjoyable book. I read it as part of a historical research project involving equines and Apaches. While there are definitely no Apaches in this book, it does include some helpful information. For instance, it conveys how well-loved and admired were the conquistadores' steeds. They are known by name and characteristics and mourned like fellow soldiers when they die. Also of interest is the fact that the Spanish intentionally tried to make the native peoples afraid of their horses, an act that worked at first but lost its luster after a while. Overall, a well-done book that makes use of numerous Spanish language sources, which is valuable for someone like me who does not read Spanish.