Xaintong et Angoumois. / Die Landtschafft Santonien hat Xaintes zu einem Bischthumb.

Title

Xaintong et Angoumois. / Die Landtschafft Santonien hat Xaintes zu einem Bischthumb.

Description

The map shows the Poitou-Charentes region, including the towns of La Rochelle, Tonnay and Cognac, as well as a compass rose and a cartouche with the title and mileage indicators. Verso with German text.

ca. 1640

Artist

Blaeu (1571-1638)

Joan Guilliemus Blaeu was the eldest son of Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), and was probably born in Alkmaar in the province of Noord-Holland in the final years of the 16th century. He was brought up in Amsterdam, and studied law at the University of Leiden before going into partnership with his father in the 1630s. Although his father Willem had cartographic interests, having studied under the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe and having manufactured globes and instruments, his primary business was as a printer. It was under the control of Joan that the Blaeu printing press achieved lasting fame by moving towards the printing of maps and expanding to become the largest printing press in Europe in the 17th century. By the 1660s the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (or Atlas Maior as it had became known by this time) had expanded to between 9 and 12 volumes, depending on the language. With over 3,000 text pages and approximately 600 maps, it was the most expensive book money could buy in the later 17th century. The translation of the text from Latin into Dutch, English, German, French, and Spanish for several volumes created enormous work for those involved in typography and letterpress activities. It is estimated that over 80 men must have been employed full-time in the Blaeu printing house in Bloemgracht, not including engravers who worked elsewhere, with over 15 printing presses running simultaneously, and in 1667 a second press was acquired at Gravenstraat. At the same time as producing the Atlas Maior, Blaeu was also publishing town plans of Italy, maps for globes, and other volumes. At its peak the Blaeu press managed to produce over 1 million impressions from 1,000 copper plates within four years.

Historical Description

Poitou-Charentes is a historical region in the west of France on the Atlantic coast. It consisted of the departments Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne and today belongs to the larger region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. In the Middle Ages, the region was politically very important. The city of Poitiers was especially significant. In 732, the famous Battle of Tours and Poitiers took place here, where the Frankish military leader Charles Martel defeated a Muslim army. In the 12th century, the region was temporarily under English rule because Eleanor of Aquitaine, through her marriage to Henry II, brought large parts of western France under English influence. During the Hundred Years’ War, Poitou-Charentes was fought over several times by France and England. Later, the region developed into an important agricultural area. The port city of La Rochelle also played a significant role in maritime trade and was a center of French Protestants (Huguenots) in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, Poitou-Charentes is known for agriculture, wine production (for example the area around Cognac), and historic cities. The region is also famous for Cognac brandy and its Atlantic coastline.