Von Deutsch Landt. 819 / Bildtnuß Bapst Felixen.

Title

Von Deutsch Landt. 819 / Bildtnuß Bapst Felixen.

Illustration of Amadeus VIII with coat of arms. On reverse, the Battle of Basel.

ca. 1588

Artist

Münster (1489-1552)

Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) was a leading Renaissance cosmographer. His most famous work, the Cosmographia (1544), was a comprehensive description of the world with 24 maps, based on research dating back to 1528. Continuously revised, the 1550 edition already included many new maps. It was the first scientific yet accessible world description published in German, illustrated with numerous woodcuts by artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1544 and 1650, the Cosmographia appeared in 46 editions (27 in German) and was translated into several languages. Münster’s work combined the knowledge of scholars, artists, and travelers and remained influential long after his death.

Historical Description

Amadeus VIII was a significant Duke of Savoy and a central figure in the 14th and 15th centuries. He was born on September 4, 1383, and ruled as Duke of Savoy from 1391 to 1416. Amadeus VIII came from the House of Savoy, and after the death of his father, Amadeus VII, he took over the reign in 1391 at the age of only 8.Amadeus VIII grew into a diplomatically skilled ruler who adeptly navigated the politics and wars of his time. In 1434, Amadeus VIII unexpectedly abdicated the duchy and retired to the Monastery of Rolle on Lake Geneva. He took the monastic name Felix V and became Antipope of the Roman Catholic Church during the Western Schism (1439–1449), when there were two popes. Amadeus VIII left a mixed legacy: On one hand, he expanded the Duchy of Savoy and played an important role in the European politics of his time. On the other hand, his time as Antipope was not viewed positively, and his deposition marked the end of his ecclesiastical ambitions. He died on January 7, 1451, and was buried in the Monastery of Rolle. After his death, the Duchy of Savoy experienced a resurgence under his successors, particularly his son Louis.