Ducatus Gelriae pars Tertia Quae est Comitatus Zutphaniensis

Title

Ducatus Gelriae pars Tertia Quae est Comitatus Zutphaniensis

Description

Map shows the province of Utrecht and Gelderland in the Netherlands with a title cartouche of a compass rose and several coats of arms.

ca. 1660

Artist

Janssonius (1588-1664)

Johannes Janssonius (Jansson)( 1588- 1664) Amsterdam, was born in Arnhem, the son of Jan Janszoon the Elder, a publisher and bookseller. In 1612 he married Elisabeth de Hondt, the daughter of Jodocus Hondius. He produced his first maps in 1616 of France and Italy. In 1623 Janssonius owned a bookstore in Frankfurt am Main, later also in Danzig, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Königsberg, Geneva and Lyon. In the 1630s he formed a partnership with his brother in law Henricus Hondius, and together they published atlases as Mercator/Hondius/Janssonius. Under the leadership of Janssonius the Hondius Atlas was steadily enlarged. Renamed Atlas Novus, it had three volumes in 1638, one fully dedicated to Italy. 1646 a fourth volume came out with ""English County Maps"", a year after a similar issue by Willem Blaeu. Janssonius' maps are similar to those of Blaeu, and he is often accused of copying from his rival, but many of his maps predate those of Blaeu and/or covered different regions. By 1660, at which point the atlas bore the appropriate name ""Atlas Major"", there were 11 volumes, containing the work of about a hundred credited authors and engravers. It included a description of ""most of the cities of the world"" (Townatlas), of the waterworld (Atlas Maritimus in 33 maps), and of the Ancient World (60 maps). The eleventh volume was the Atlas of the Heavens by Andreas Cellarius. Editions were printed in Dutch, Latin, French, and a few times in German.

Historical Description

Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, with a rich and diverse history.
Around 50 AD, the Romans built a fort called Traiectum at the site of present-day Utrecht, which was part of the Limes, the northern border of the Roman Empire.
The name “Utrecht” later derives from Ultra Traiectum (beyond the ford).
In 1122, Utrecht was granted city rights, making it one of the oldest cities in the country.
In the Middle Ages, Utrecht was an important religious center.
In the 16th century, political and religious upheaval occurred due to the Reformation.
In the 19th century, Utrecht lost its national significance but remained an important religious and cultural center.