Written during his imprisonment in the Tower of London, the History of the World is Sir Walter Ralegh's most important prose work. The book, originally intended as a multivolume project, covers the creation of the world to 146BC and aims to show history as a moral exercise. Initially, the work was intended to serve as an educational tool for Henry, Prince of Wales (1594-1612) and includes numerous references to warfare, law and kingship. Although Ralegh was imprisoned for treason, the book, due to its association with the Prince was entered on the Stationer's list of approved books in 1611 but following his death in 1612, Ralegh was forced to bring the project to conclusion. The work, consisting of five books nearing one million words in total, was eventually published in 1614 (see RCIN 1046987, acquired by the Royal Library during the reign of Queen Victoria).
The cynical nature of the work, and the contempt to which Ralegh holds monarchs throughout history brought the book to the attention of James I and the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Abbot, who immediately demanded copies to be seized and publication banned. These actions only served to increase demand and it was reissued in 1617, with numerous reprints continuing throughout the seventeenth and into the eighteenth century. This is a copy of the eleventh edition, printed in 1736.