William H. Prescott

William Hickling Prescott was an American historian and Hispanist, widely recognized as the first American scientific historian. He is best known for his meticulous use of original sources and his works on late Renaissance Spain and the early Spanish Empire. Despite suffering from poor health and near-blindness, Prescott produced several classic works, including 'The History of the Conquest of Mexico' and 'The History of the Conquest of Peru'.