Northumbria, Cumberlandia, et Dunelmensis Episcopatus.

Title

Northumbria, Cumberlandia, et Dunelmensis Episcopatus.

Description

Map shows North Wales and part of Scotland with magnificent cartouche. Verso with Latin text.

ca. 1650

Artist

Janssonius/Mercator-Hondius, H. (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

Wales is a country with a very ancient and distinct history in the west of Great Britain. As early as antiquity, Celtic tribes lived there and successfully resisted the Romans, preserving their language and culture. After the Romans withdrew in the 5th century, several Welsh kingdoms emerged. During this period, many legends developed, including that of King Arthur, who is often associated with Wales. In the Middle Ages, English kings attempted to conquer Wales. In 1282, the last independent Welsh prince, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, was defeated, and Wales came under English rule. With the Laws in Wales Acts in the 16th century, Wales was officially incorporated into the Kingdom of England.During the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, Wales became an important industrial region through coal mining and steel production. At the same time, the Welsh language remained a strong marker of identity. Today, Wales is part of the United Kingdom but has its own parliament (Senedd Cymru) and extensive self-governing powers. Culture, music, and language continue to play a central role in Welsh identity.