Pour la Bretagne

Title

Pour la Bretagne

Description

Map shows 8 city maps and views of Brest , St. Malo, Belle Isle, Port Luis, Grandville and Conquerneau

ca. 1710

Artist

Homann (1664-1724)

Johann Babtiste Homann (1664-1724), Nuremberg, 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

Brittany was already populated in the Paleolithic. The Iron Age, which began comparatively late in Brittany, namely from the 6th century BC, was characterized by the immigration of the Celts, who called Brittany Aremorica or Armorica (land by the sea). n 56 BC, Iulius Caesar and his legions defeated almost the entire Venetian fleet in a devastating naval battle, thus ending the economic prosperity of this tribe as well as the Gallic supremacy in shipping. The Romanization of Brittany began immediately after the conquest and consisted, in addition to the triumph of Roman administration, architecture and road layout, primarily in the founding of Roman cities such as Portus Namnetus (Nantes), Condate (Rennes), Darioritum (Vannes), Vorgium (Carhaix-Plouguer) and Fanum Martis (or Civitas Coriosolitum, today Corseul). However, it was finished only towards the end of the Late Antiquity. At that time, the Celtic language of Gaul, Gallic, had probably also almost completely disappeared. Already at the time of the Roman colonization there had been intensive contacts between the aremorican peninsula and Great Britain. After the withdrawal of the Roman army at the beginning of the 5th century under Emperor Honorius, the provincials expelled the Roman administrators around 409 and declared themselves independent. In the period of the decline of the Western Roman Empire, from about 450 AD, mainly Christianized Britons migrated to the Breton peninsula. At the same time, the settlement areas of the still pagan Saxons, Angles and Jutes on the island of Britain continued to expand. Thus, for about two centuries, so-called island celts crossed into Brittany at irregular intervals to escape the uncertain political conditions of their former homeland. They settled and Christianized Aremorica and brought their language to Gaul, which had already been Romanized for a long time. Thus, Breton does not go back to the Celtic idiom still spoken in Brittany during Caesar's time. In 497, the Bretons submitted to the Frankish king Clovis I. The territory of the Duchy of Brittany maintained a relative independence in warlike conflicts with Normans, French and English until the 15th century. Within France, Brittany was of maritime importance. From 1631, Brest advanced to become the best and most heavily fortified war port in France. The Breton port cities and coastal towns became the cradle of many outstanding naval officers of the French Navy.