III. Belägerung der Statt und Festung Mozambique.

Title

III. Belägerung der Statt und Festung Mozambique.

Arrival of the Dutch in Maputo Bay, formerly Delagoa Bay in Mozambique (Africa).

ca. 1612

Artist

Bry, de (1528-1598)

Theodor de Bry (1528–1598) was a Frankfurt-based engraver and publisher who, beginning in 1590, produced two of the most important early modern travel collections: the West Indian (America) and East Indian voyages. Richly illustrated with copper engravings and published in both German and Latin, these works were aimed at a European audience. With the help of his sons, Johann Theodor and Johann Israel, de Bry published six volumes before his death. The project was continued by his descendants until 1634, ultimately comprising 25 volumes with over 1,500 engravings. In 1594, he famously depicted Columbus's arrival in the New World. The West Indian series (1590–1618) chronicled the European discovery and conquest of the Americas, while the East Indian series followed the rise of Dutch trade power in Asia around 1600.

Historical Description

Before the great exploratory trips by the Europeans, Arabs had ruled the coast off Africa for centuries. They traded between Africa, the Orient and India in gold, ivory and African slaves. The first Portuguese to land in Sofala in 1497 was Pedro da Covilhã, who was commissioned by the Portuguese king to explore the sea route from Arabia to East Africa. In 1498 Vasco da Gama reached Mozambique on the way to India: On the island of Mozambique he met Sheikh Moussa Ben Mbiki, from whom the name Mozambique is derived. The Portuguese then seized these trading centers and penetrated inland along the Zambezi in search of gold. For centuries the Portuguese were content with trading slaves and cared little about the population. Their rule lasted into the 20th century, and living conditions in the colonies deteriorated considerably as a result of forced labor, exploitative employment contracts and reckless treatment. Until 1898, the city of Ilha de Moçambique was the country's capital. She also gave the country its name.