William Hickling Prescott (1796-1859) was an American historian. In 1838, he published History of the Regin of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic in three volumes which at once gained for him a high place among historians. It was followed in 1843 by the History of the Conquest of Mexico and in 1847 by the Conquest of Peru. His last work was the History of Philip II, of which the third volume appeared in 1858, and which was left unfinished. In all his works he displayed great research, impartiality, and an admirable narrative power. Much of Prescott's work was based on his researches with unpublished documents in archives in Spain.