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1710 Homann Map of the Kingdom of Hungary
Hungariae-homann-1710$500.00
Title
Regnorum Hungariae, Dalmatiae, Croatiae, Sclavoniae, Bosniae, Serviae et Principatus Transylvaniae novissima exhibitio.
1710 (undated) 20.5 x 23.5 in (52.07 x 59.69 cm) 1 : 1900000
1710 (undated) 20.5 x 23.5 in (52.07 x 59.69 cm) 1 : 1900000
Description
A striking example of Johann Baptist Homann's c. 1710 map of the Kingdom of Hungary and environs, produced for his Neuer Atlas. It reflects the most up-to-date information available at a time when this region was bitterly contested and underwent frequent territorial shifts.
A decorative cartouche around the scales at bottom-right includes the coats of arms of the various regional territories. The main title cartouche at the bottom-left is a celebration of victory in the Great Turkish War (1683 - 1699). A regal figure - probably the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I (1640 - 1705) - stands atop the cartouche, directing a band of surrendering Turkish soldiers to kneel as they present their swords.
The war coincided with outbreaks of plague, which further devastated the population and weakened resistance. Additionally, divisions within the Hungarian leadership and the lack of consistent external support, particularly from France (which was preoccupied with the War of the Spanish Succession), contributed to the rebellion's decline. In 1710, negotiations began between the Habsburgs and the rebels, culminating in the 1711 Treaty of Szatmár. This treaty ended the war, granted amnesty to the rebels, and promised to respect certain Hungarian rights and privileges, but it solidified Hungary's status as a Habsburg territory.
A Closer Look
Focused on Hungary, coverage embraces from Moravia to the Adriatic Sea in the west and from Lviv and Kamianets-Podilskyi (Kameniec here) to Sofia and Kyustendil in the east. Settlements of various sizes are recorded, along with forts, administrative boundaries (the map even notes the maritime borders of different territories in the Adriatic), mountains, forests, waterways, and other features. The Ancient Roman Via Militaris is traced from Belgrade (Singidunum) through Sofia (Ulpia Serdica), eventually reaching Constantinople. Other references to ancient history appear, such as the ruins of a bridge over the Danube near Vidin (Viddin Bodon) and anachronistic placenames from Antiquity (for example, Campus Merlinius Cassovius, an early name for Kosovo).A decorative cartouche around the scales at bottom-right includes the coats of arms of the various regional territories. The main title cartouche at the bottom-left is a celebration of victory in the Great Turkish War (1683 - 1699). A regal figure - probably the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I (1640 - 1705) - stands atop the cartouche, directing a band of surrendering Turkish soldiers to kneel as they present their swords.
Historical Context
In 1710, Hungary was in the midst of Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703 - 1711), a major uprising against Habsburg rule. The conflict was led by Francis II Rákóczi, a Hungarian nobleman who sought to restore Hungarian sovereignty and resist the centralizing policies of the Austrian Habsburgs. By 1710, the war was nearing its end, as the Hungarian forces had suffered significant defeats, most notably at the Battle of Trencsén (1708). The Habsburgs, with their superior military strength and resources, were regaining control of Hungarian territories.The war coincided with outbreaks of plague, which further devastated the population and weakened resistance. Additionally, divisions within the Hungarian leadership and the lack of consistent external support, particularly from France (which was preoccupied with the War of the Spanish Succession), contributed to the rebellion's decline. In 1710, negotiations began between the Habsburgs and the rebels, culminating in the 1711 Treaty of Szatmár. This treaty ended the war, granted amnesty to the rebels, and promised to respect certain Hungarian rights and privileges, but it solidified Hungary's status as a Habsburg territory.
Publication History and Census
This map was prepared by Johann Baptist Homann between 1707 and 1710 for inclusion in the 1710 edition of his Neuer Atlas. The earliest state of the map appeared in 1701 (cf. Hungary-homann-1701), making this an early state of the map. Though the map is assigned dates ranging from 1700 to 1810 in institutional collections, it was substantially reworked around 1720, taking on a slightly different subtitle in the process (cf. Hungary-homann-1724).Cartographer
Johann Baptist Homann (March 20, 1664 - July 1, 1724) was the most prominent and prolific map publisher of the 18th century. Homann was born in Oberkammlach, a small town near Kammlach, Bavaria, Germany. As a young man, Homann studied in a Jesuit school and nursed ambitions of becoming a Dominican priest. Nonetheless, he converted to Protestantism in 1687, when he was 23. It is not clear where he mastered engraving, but we believe it may have been in Amsterdam. Homann's earliest work we have identified is about 1689, and already exhibits a high degree of mastery. Around 1691, Homann moved to Nuremberg and registered as a notary. By this time, he was already making maps, and very good ones at that. He produced a map of the environs of Nürnberg in 1691/92, which suggests he was already a master engraver. Around 1693, Homann briefly relocated to Vienna, where he lived and studied printing and copper plate engraving until 1695. Until 1702, he worked in Nuremberg in the map trade under Jacob von Sandrart (1630 - 1708) and then David Funck (1642 - 1709). Afterward, he returned to Nuremberg, where, in 1702, he founded the commercial publishing firm that would bear his name. In the next five years, Homann produced hundreds of maps and developed a distinctive style characterized by heavy, detailed engraving, elaborate allegorical cartouche work, and vivid hand color. Due to the lower cost of printing in Germany, the Homann firm could undercut the dominant French and Dutch publishing houses while matching their diversity and quality. Despite copious output, Homann did not release his first major atlas until the 33-map Neuer Atlas of 1707, followed by a 60-map edition of 1710. By 1715, Homann's rising star caught the attention of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, who appointed him Imperial Cartographer. In the same year, he was also appointed a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin. Homann's prestigious title came with several significant advantages, including access to the most up-to-date cartographic information as well as the 'Privilege'. The Privilege was a type of early copyright offered to very few by the Holy Roman Emperor. Though less sophisticated than modern copyright legislation, the Privilege offered limited protection for several years. Most all J. B. Homann maps printed between 1715 and 1730 bear the inscription 'Cum Priviligio' or some variation. Following Homann's death in 1724, the firm's map plates and management passed to his son, Johann Christoph Homann (1703 - 1730). J. C. Homann, perhaps realizing that he would not long survive his father, stipulated in his will that the company would be inherited by his two head managers, Johann Georg Ebersberger (1695 - 1760) and Johann Michael Franz (1700 - 1761), and that it would publish only under the name 'Homann Heirs'. This designation, in various forms (Homannsche Heirs, Heritiers de Homann, Lat Homannianos Herod, Homannschen Erben, etc.) appears on maps from about 1731 onwards. The firm continued to publish maps in ever-diminishing quantities until the death of its last owner, Christoph Franz Fembo (1781 - 1848). More by this mapmaker...
Source
Homann, J. B., Neuer Atlas bestehend in einig curieusen Astronomischen Kuppren und vielen auserlesenen accuratensten Land-Charten über die Gantze Welt, (Nuremberg: Homann) 1710.
Homann's Neuer Atlas bestehend in einig curieusen Astronomischen Kuppren und vielen auserlesenen accuratensten Land-Charten über die Gantze Welt was first publihsed in 1707 with 33 maps. A second edition followed in 1710 with 60 maps. Subsequent editions followed until about 1730. The title page notes proudly that the atlas features measurements based on the 'Copernican principle of the moving sky', a truly state-of-the-art innovation for the period. Regardless of editions, collations of the atlas are inconsistent, with some examples having less, while others have more maps - a consequence of the fact that the map sheets were delivered loose, to be bound at the buyer's discretion, and so some buyers chose to omit maps they did not consider relevant, or add others they did. Between editions, the constituent maps, particularly of European regions, were regularly updated to reflect the most recent political events. The atlas continued to be published by Homann's son, J. C. Homann (1703 - 1730), and then by Homann Heirs. Most examples also feature a fine allegorical frontispiece with the title Atlas Novus Terrarum Orbis Imperia, regna et Status, which was used for multiple Homann atlases, including the Neuer Atlas and the Atlas Minor.
Condition
Good. Closed and stabilized centerfold split extending from bottom border roughly 5 inches into the page. Soiling to bottom corners where handled. Laid down on contemporaneous paper.
References
Rumsey 12499.194 (1716 state). OCLC 165607614.