Plan de la Ville et du Port Mahon et du Fort St. Philippe/ Plan der Statd und des Hafens Mahon und des Forts St. Philippe

Title

Plan de la Ville et du Port Mahon et du Fort St. Philippe/ Plan der Statd und des Hafens Mahon und des Forts St. Philippe

Description

Map shows the maps of Mahon and St. Philippe in Menorca, inset map shopw Plan of Fort St. Philippe and the city wall

dated 1756

Artist

Homann Erben (1724-1780)

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

The indigenous population of the Balearic Islands probably immigrated from the Iberian Peninsula or today's southern France. In ancient times, the islands were called Balearides or Gymnesiae, which meant the islands of Mallorca (Balearis major) and Menorca (Balearis minor). At first they were dependent on the Phoenicians. Mallorca and Ibiza were conquered in 1229 and 1235 respectively by Jacob I of Aragon (Catalan Jaume I), Menorca by his descendant Alfonso III. The Balearic Islands, like Catalonia, now belonged to the Aragon Crown. At times, together with parts of Catalonia, they formed an independent state, the Kingdom of Mallorca, ruled by a branch of the Aragonese royal family. In 1708 Maó was conquered by the British. The Peace of Utrecht (1713), which ended the War of Spanish Succession, gave Menorca to the British Empire. This had to return the island to Spain in the Treaty of Versailles (1783), but remained British until 1802. The Spanish province of the Balearic Islands was founded in 1833.