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1862 Kiepert / Almazan Map of Puebla, Mexico
Puebla-keipert-1862$5,500.00
Title
Der Mexicanische Stat Puebla.
1862 (undated) 26 x 20 in (66.04 x 50.8 cm) 1 : 500000
1862 (undated) 26 x 20 in (66.04 x 50.8 cm) 1 : 500000
Description
This is a scarce 1862 H. Kiepert map of Puebla, Mexico, issued in Germany in the wake of the Battle of Puebla, in which Mexican forces repulsed a French invasion, placing Mexico and Puebla on the global stage. In 1863, one year after this map was issued, French interventionists established the Second Mexican Empire, placing the Austrian Archduke Maximilian I on the throne and creating widespread interest in Mexico throughout the German-speaking world.
Although loosely based on the Heldreich / Almazán survey of 1855, this map includes extensive updates from other sources, including the Mapa del Territorio de Tlascala contained in the Boletin de la Sociedad Mejicana de Geografía y Estadistica, 1849. The map's content makes these extensive updates evident: placenames written in bold were on the 1855 Almazán map, while the vast bulk of the placenames, written in italics, were added by Kiepert from these other sources. This new content is significant on many levels, not the least of which is making it one of the earliest maps to illustrate the countless tiny indigenous communities dotted throughout this vast state.
Puebla was one of Mexico's wealthiest and most important states, the center of industry, lucrative mining, and central to the vital trade artery between Mexico City and the primary port at Veracruz. In 1855, when Heldreich completed his survey, Mexico was in the middle of a pivotal transition. The long-serving conservative president Antonio López de Santa Anna resigned to be replaced by liberal Juan Álvarez. The liberal reforms, known as the Plan of Ayutla, called for a reduction of Catholic church power and the introduction of civil liberties like freedoms of speech and press. These reforms were deeply unpopular in conservative Puebla and, within a year, erupted into the Reform War (1857 - 1861). The Heldreich survey was likely made in anticipation of these regional conflicts. Much of the war was fought in and around Puebla, devastating regional infrastructure. Although the liberals won the war, it pushed the conservative faction into the arms of French interventionists, leading to the French invasion and the Second Empire.
A Closer Look
Coverage embraces the state of Puebla and the adjacent state of Tlaxcala. The map's focus is on Puebla's resources and development, focusing on cities, haciendas, ranchos, mines, and mills - the major drivers of Mexican economics. Topography is illustrated through shading, highlighting the complex and varied terrain. The map includes major roads between towns, underscoring the degree to which many towns, villages, and even haciendas were remote and disconnected from trade networks - opportunity.Although loosely based on the Heldreich / Almazán survey of 1855, this map includes extensive updates from other sources, including the Mapa del Territorio de Tlascala contained in the Boletin de la Sociedad Mejicana de Geografía y Estadistica, 1849. The map's content makes these extensive updates evident: placenames written in bold were on the 1855 Almazán map, while the vast bulk of the placenames, written in italics, were added by Kiepert from these other sources. This new content is significant on many levels, not the least of which is making it one of the earliest maps to illustrate the countless tiny indigenous communities dotted throughout this vast state.
Historical Context
The map is derived from an 1855 survey compiled by the Prussian military officer Ferdinand von Heldreich, who moved to Mexico from Prussia in the 1850s. Heldreich's survey was subsequently compiled into a map by Pascual Autor Almazán (1813 - 1886). Almazán was an engineer and a Mexican Royalist who supported European investment, engagement, and possibly dominance of Mexico. He later served as deputy and governor of Puebla and State Councilor under Emperor Maximilian.Puebla was one of Mexico's wealthiest and most important states, the center of industry, lucrative mining, and central to the vital trade artery between Mexico City and the primary port at Veracruz. In 1855, when Heldreich completed his survey, Mexico was in the middle of a pivotal transition. The long-serving conservative president Antonio López de Santa Anna resigned to be replaced by liberal Juan Álvarez. The liberal reforms, known as the Plan of Ayutla, called for a reduction of Catholic church power and the introduction of civil liberties like freedoms of speech and press. These reforms were deeply unpopular in conservative Puebla and, within a year, erupted into the Reform War (1857 - 1861). The Heldreich survey was likely made in anticipation of these regional conflicts. Much of the war was fought in and around Puebla, devastating regional infrastructure. Although the liberals won the war, it pushed the conservative faction into the arms of French interventionists, leading to the French invasion and the Second Empire.
1862 Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862, was a pivotal conflict between the Mexican army and French forces during the early stages of the Second French Intervention in Mexico (1861 - 1867). Despite being outnumbered and less well-equipped, around 4,500 Mexican troops under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829 - 1862) successfully defended the city of Puebla from 6,000 French soldiers, one of the most powerful armies of the time, led by General Charles de Lorencez. The Mexican victory, though militarily modest, became a significant symbol of resistance and unity for Mexico, as it temporarily halted the French advance toward Mexico City. The event is commemorated annually as Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican resilience and national pride. Though France eventually captured Puebla the following year, the 1862 battle remains an enduring symbol of courage against foreign intervention.Publication History and Census
This map was compiled by Heinrich Kiepert, the premier geographer of his age, laid down on lithographic stone by Leopold Kraatz, and published in Berlin by Dietrich Reimer. It is extremely rare. We note examples at the the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Mapoteca Manuel Orozco y Berra, the Library of Congress, and the Universitäts-und Landesbibliothek Darmstadt. No history on the private market.CartographerS
Heinrich Kiepert (July 31, 1818 - April 21, 1899) was a German cartographer and historian active in the mid to late 19th century. Kiepert was born into generous circumstances that allowed him to develop his childhood interest in geography and history into a serious profession. The Berlin-born Kiepert traveled widely in his youth, and was encouraged in his studies by the historian Leopold von Ranke, a family friend. He was a student of classical antiquity under August Meineke and worked with Cal Ritter. He studied history, philology, and geography at the Humboldt University of Berlin - he would eventually teach geography there, and would remain there until his death. Disappointed with the poor quality of maps in historical school books, Kiepert set out to correct the problem. His first major work, the Atlas von Hellas und den hellenischen Kolonien, was published with Karl Ritter in 1840. The work immediately won accolades from the academic community. A number of similar publications followed, including the 1848 Historisch-geographischer Atlas der alten Welt, the 1854 Atlas Antiquus, and the 1894 Formae Orbis Antiqui. Kiepert specialized in the historical geography of the classical world at the University of Berlin. This developed into a geographical interest in the Ottoman Empire - which at the time was poorly mapped. He traveled to Asia Minor four times between 1841 and 1848, using his travels to collect and compile geographical data, producing several outstanding regional maps with wide-ranging coverage extending from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus. Thanks in large part to these works, Kiepert became the recognized expert on Ottoman geography, his works representing the best obtainable reconnaissances of their respective regions. From 1845 until 1852, Kiepert served as the head of the Geographisches Institut in Weimar. In 1854 he took a position as professor of Geography at the University of Berlin and for nearly 50 years was considered the go-to man with regard to the cartography of classical and biblical antiquity. Kipert formed a long-lasting professional association with Dietrich Reimer, a publisher in Berlin. Kiepert's maps are known for b being clear, easy to read, and as accurate as possible for the time in which they were produced. In addition to his landmark work in mapping the Ottoman Empire, Kiepert also published the first detailed ethnic maps of Austria-Hungary, the Balkan Peninsula, and Germany. Kiepert died in Berlin on April 21 of 1899. More by this mapmaker...
Dietrich Arnold Reimer (May 13, 1818 - October 15, 1899) was a German publisher. Born in Berlin, Reimer was the son of Georg Andreas Reimer (1776 - 1842), another German printer. He founded a book and map shop in 1845 in Berlin, and after taking over most of the art and geographic publishing from his father two years later, founded Dietrich Reimer Verlag. Heinrich Kiepert (1818 - 1899) began working for his publishing firm in 1852, and in 1868, Reimer made Hermann August Hoefer, a German bookseller, a partner in his company. This move pushed Reimer's publishing firm to international prominence, as the new partnership increased their desire to produce globes and their commitment to improving their maps. He married Henriette Hirzel in 1847, with whom he had three children. Henriette died in 1853, and Reimer remarried in 1855 to Emma Jonas. Reimer gave up control of his publishing house on October 1, 1891, due to health concerns, and the business passed to investor Ersnt Vohsen (1853 - 1919). The firm published under the imprint of 'Dietrich Reimer (Ernst Vohsen)' until Vohsen's death in 1919. Until the end of the World War I (1914 - 1818) and the Treaty of Versailles, the publishing house profited from the colonialism of the German Empire with this business model. It survived both the end of the war and inflation. It was able to recover by the start of World War II (1939 - 1945) but then had to cut back production again, mainly due to a shortage of paper and reduced demand. In April 1945, the publishing house at Wilhelmstrasse 29, including the archive, accounting department, and book warehouse, was destroyed in two air raids. It recovered and is today a prominent German academic publisher. The firm remains in operation today as 'Dietrich Reimer GmbH.' Learn More...
Leopold Kraatz (18xx - 19xx) was a German lithographer, engraver, and printer active in Berlin Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kraatz worked with Lange in 1854 and Kiepert from 1860 until 1888. Learn More...
Condition
Very good. Some toning and verso stabilization on old centerfold.
References
Bibliothèque nationale de France, FRBNF40655087. OCLC 1290721182. Mapoteca Manuel Orozco y Berra, #797.