Martín Fernández de Navarrete

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martín_Fernández_de_Navarrete

Martín Fernández de Navarrete y Ximénez de Tejada (November 9, 1765 – October 8, 1844), was a Spanish noble, grandson of the Marquess of Ximenez de Tejada, knight of the Order of Malta, politician and historian. He was a Spanish senator and Director of the Spanish Royal Academy of History (1824-1844). He rediscovered Las Casas' abstract of the journal Columbus kept, known as the Diario, of his first voyage. His principal work is the Colección de los viages y descubrimientos que hicieron por mar los españoles desde fines del siglo XV (Collection of the voyages and discoveries made by the Spaniards since the late 15th century), a vast work published in five volumes that Navarrete wrote by appointment of the Spanish Crown. As a result of this achievement, he has acquired the nickname El Marino Historiador (The Mariner Historian). Navarrete was a member of all the major Spanish and international Science and Arts Academies of his time.