Jerusalem die heilige viereckete Stadt / In grundt gelegt / und eigentlich abgemahlet. 38

Title

Jerusalem die heilige viereckete Stadt / In grundt gelegt / und eigentlich abgemahlet. 38

Imaginary view of the city of Jerusalem from a bird's eye perspective.

ca. 1581

Artist

Bünting (1545-1606)

Heinrich Bünting (1545–1606) was a Protestant theologian, geographer, and chronicler from Hanover. His main work, Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae, a richly illustrated account of biblical geography, was widely published and translated into several languages. Although Bünting never visited the Holy Land, he reconstructed biblical journeys using earlier maps and travel accounts. The book is considered the most comprehensive summary of contemporary knowledge about Palestine. He is especially known for his symbolic maps, such as the cloverleaf-shaped world map—referencing Hanover’s coat of arms—and the depiction of Europe as a maiden. These images were reused in later works and even in political propaganda.

Historical Description

The first archaeologically proven traces of an early or proto-Israelite settlement in the Mashrek region go back to the period between the 12th and 11th centuries BC. BC back. According to biblical tradition, Jerusalem was founded around 1000 BC. Conquered by David from the Jebusites and chosen as the capital of his great empire. The country subsequently became part of the Persian Empire, then the Empire of Alexander the Great, and finally the Empire of the Seleucids. The Maccabees revolt in 165 BC BC brought Israel once more state independence for about 100 years. 63 BC The time of Roman supremacy began. The Romans divided the area into two provinces: Syria in the north, Judea in the south. In the course of the Islamic expansion, the area came under Arab rule in 636. Since then, Palestine has been predominantly inhabited by Arabs. The crusaders ruled from 1099 to 1291 what they called the "Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem". This was followed by the Mamluks from 1291 to 1517 and then the Ottoman rule from 1517 to 1918. None of these authorities had planned their own administration for Palestine or viewed the area as an independent geographical unit. The region was also part of Syria for the Ottomans, probably going back to the Roman name Syria.