Girolamo Benzoni

In 1565 he published an account of his travels, Historia del Mondo Nuovo, which included vivid descriptions of Spanish cruelty to the native populations.

[2] In 1541, at the age of twenty-two, Benzoni traveled to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, and from there sailed to the New World in search of adventure and fortune.

In the 1550s, the Spanish government grew wary of foreign influence in their colonies and began expelling non-Spaniards, including Benzoni.

Realizing that his experiences in the New World were his only marketable possession, Benzoni wrote an account of his travels which was published in two successful editions in 1565 and 1572.

[2] Benzoni's Historia del Mondo Nuovo (History of the New World) was first published in 1565 in Venice and was dedicated to Pope Pius IV.

[2][4] He also takes care to describe native culture: food preparation, sleeping habits, dances, and building methods.

Although Bartolomé de las Casas is often cited for his role in shaping the Spanish Black Legend, Barzoni may in fact have reached more readers and had more influence during the sixteenth century.