AA.VV. - Redemption des captifs ... de Maroc & d’Alger - 1726

First Edition - Christian Slavery in North Africa: Testimonies of Torture and Chains
This work is presented as a newspaper-style report, both precise and deeply human, of the journey undertaken by the Fathers of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the redemption of Christian captives held in the kingdoms of Morocco and Algiers. The text combines daily chronicle, political observation, and spiritual tension, offering a vivid image of the 18th-century Mediterranean as a space of religious conflict, diplomatic negotiation, and human trade. It is not merely a travel account but a firsthand document on captivity, the practice of ransom, and the active role of French religious institutions in engaging with the Barbary world.
Market value
In the antiquarian market, the original 1726 Parisian editions of this Relation are sought after for their historical and documentary value, especially when complete with engraved portrait and in contemporary binding. Prices for intact copies in good condition generally range between 1,800 and 3,000 euros, with higher figures for particularly fresh copies, well margined, or with interesting provenance. The presence of the Queen's portrait and the completeness of the collation significantly influence the value.

Physical description and condition
Contemporary binding in full brown leather, with a ribbed spine featuring titles and decorations in blind. Boards with a patina of age, abrasions, and ancient restorations on the spine. Typographic frontispiece, engraved full-page portrait of Queen Maria Leszczyńska, with woodcut friezes and initials. Some browning and foxing. In old books with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (4); 22nn; 364; 16nn; (4).

Full title and author
Account in journal form of the voyage for the redemption of captives in the kingdoms of Morocco and Algiers.
Paris, at Louis Sevestre's, Pierre-François Giffart, 1726.
Various Authors

Context and Significance
The text belongs to the long tradition of redemptive relations produced by orders tasked with the ransom of Christian prisoners in North Africa. What sets this work apart is its diaristic precision: dates, locations, meetings, logistical difficulties, and negotiations are recorded with almost administrative rigor, alongside moments of intense emotional significance related to the captives' condition. The account offers a concrete view of the relationships between the French monarchy, the Berber kingdoms, and local authorities, illustrating how redemption was an act that was simultaneously religious, political, and economic. The Mediterranean emerges as an unstable space, traversed by pirates, negotiators, interpreters, and religious figures, in a constantly precarious balance.

Biography of the Authors
Father Jean de La Faye, Denis Mackar, Augustin d’Arcillas, and Henry le Roy were members of the Order of the Holy Trinity, founded in the 12th century with the specific purpose of redeeming Christian prisoners. Active across France, Spain, and North Africa, they operated as religious emissaries but also as true diplomatic agents, tasked with complex negotiations with Muslim authorities for the release of captives.

Printing history and circulation
The work was printed in Paris in 1726 with a royal privilege, indicating the official interest of the monarchy in the mission and its dissemination. Intended for an educated and devout audience, the Relation circulated among ecclesiastical and diplomatic circles, as well as among supporters of redemption works. The presence of the dedication to the Queen reinforces the political and propagandistic character of the edition.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
BnF, General Catalog, entries related to the relationships of the Mathurins.
WorldCat, record for the Parisian edition of 1726.
R. Sauzet, Christian captives in the Mediterranean during the modern era.
Studies on the history of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and on the missions of redemption in the 18th century.