Navarrete, Martín Fernández de, 1765-1844

Martín Fernández de Navarrete y Ximénez de Tejada (November 9, 1765 – October 8, 1844), was a Spanish nobleman, naval officer, and historian. Today he is principally remembered for his historical research concerning the expeditions and scientific findings carried out by Spaniards during the "Age of Discovery". As a historian, Navarrete rediscovered Bartolomé de las Casas's abstract of the journal that Christopher Columbus kept of his first voyage (1492–1493). By appointment of the Spanish Crown, he compiled a vast historical work, 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"), which was published in five volumes that appeared between 1825 and 1837. That work, which was praised by Alexander von Humboldt, earned Navarrete the byname of El Marino Historiador ("The Mariner Historian"). Navarrete fought with the Spanish navy in the Peninsular War (1807–1813). After that war, he was accused in some circles of having collaborated with the French occupation under Joseph Bonaparte. However, he went on to become a senator and director of the Spanish Royal Academy of History (1824-1844). He was also a member of several other major Spanish and international academies of arts and sciences.