Canton Freiburg sive Pagus Helvetiae Friburgensis cum confinibus..

Title

Canton Freiburg sive Pagus Helvetiae Friburgensis cum confinibus..

Description

Map shows the canton of Fribourg in the west of Switzerland and borders on Lake Neuchâtel. Furthermore, two cartouches, a title cartouche with the Fribourg coat of arms and an index.

c. 1767

Artist

Homann Erben

Johann Babtiste Homann (1664-1724) was born in Oberkammlach, the Electorate of Bavaria. Although educated at a Jesuit school, and preparing for an ecclesiastical career, he eventually converted to Protestantism and from 1687 worked as a civil law notary in Nuremberg. He soon turned to engraving and cartography; in 1702 he founded his own publishing house. Homann acquired renown as a leading German cartographer, and in 1715 was appointed Imperial Geographer by Emperor Charles VI. Giving such privileges to individuals was an added right that the Holy Roman Emperor enjoyed. In the same year he was also named a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin. Of particular significance to cartography were the imperial printing privileges (Latin: privilegia impressoria). These protected for a time the authors in all scientific fields such as printers, copper engravers, map makers and publishers. They were also very important as a recommendation for potential customers. In 1716 Homann published his masterpiece Grosser Atlas ueber die ganze Welt (Grand Atlas of all the World). Numerous maps were drawn up in cooperation with the engraver Christoph Weigel the Elder, who also published Siebmachers Wappenbuch. Homann died in Nuremberg. He was succeeded by the Homann heirs company, which was in business until 1848. The company was known as Homann Erben, Homanniani Heredes, or Heritiers de Homann abroad.

Historical Description

Fribourg was founded in 1157 by Duke Berthold IV of Zähringen in a strategically well-protected location on a rocky promontory above the Saane and endowed with generous liberties. The Zähringers were thus able to consolidate and expand their position of power in the Swiss midlands in the area between the Aare and the Saane. From its beginnings, Fribourg formed a city state, i.e. a city dominion, to which hardly any territory from the regional hinterland belonged. When the Zähringer dynasty died out in 1218, Fribourg passed by inheritance to the Counts of Kyburg. By purchase, the city came to the House of Habsburg in 1277 for 3040 marks of silver, becoming its westernmost base in competition with the House of Savoy for power in the region, and was repeatedly involved in wars with the Dukes of Savoy and Bern. Already since the middle of the 13th century, trade and commerce flourished. The period around the middle of the 15th century was marked by various warlike conflicts. First of all, major losses were suffered in the war against Savoy. From the end of the 14th century, various rich families emerged from the cloth and leather trade, among them Gottrau, Lanthen, Affry, Diesbach. This, however, was an important reason for the decline of cloth production, because the families that had once risen through trade and commerce now increasingly took care of the town government and the administration of the acquired and from then on continuously rounded up landed property. A milestone in the city's politics was the year 1627, when the patriciate of the time declared itself the sole regent with a new constitution and thus claimed the active and passive right to vote for itself. This sealed the oligarchy with restrictive organizational structures that had already become apparent in the course of the 15th century.