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1770 Delisle de Sales Map of Europe during the Empire of Charlemagne
Charlemagne-sales-1770$100.00
Title
Carte de l'Empire de Charlemagne pour servir aux Histoires de France et d'Allemagne.
1770 (undated) 9 x 13.5 in (22.86 x 34.29 cm) 1 : 11500000
1770 (undated) 9 x 13.5 in (22.86 x 34.29 cm) 1 : 11500000
Description
This is a beautiful example of the 1770 Jean- Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales' map of the Empire of Charlemagne. It covers Europe and the European Empire of Charles the Great from Ireland south as far as northern Africa and from Portugal to the Adriatic Sea in the east. The map is highly detailed, noting several towns, rivers, islands and other topographical details. Forests and mountains are beautifully rendered in profile.
After ruling and reforming France in 768, Charlemagne conquered Italy and, in 800, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. For the next 14 years until his death, Charlemagne's empire untied much of Western and Central Europe for the first time since the collapse of the Roman Empire. The 'Carolingian Renaissance' witnessed a catholic themed revival of art, religion and culture, encouraging the formation of a common European identity.
This map was issued as part of Delisle de Sales' Histoire des Hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Moderne. This volume is exceedingly rare as most of Sales' work was burnt under the censorship of heresy.
After ruling and reforming France in 768, Charlemagne conquered Italy and, in 800, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. For the next 14 years until his death, Charlemagne's empire untied much of Western and Central Europe for the first time since the collapse of the Roman Empire. The 'Carolingian Renaissance' witnessed a catholic themed revival of art, religion and culture, encouraging the formation of a common European identity.
This map was issued as part of Delisle de Sales' Histoire des Hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Moderne. This volume is exceedingly rare as most of Sales' work was burnt under the censorship of heresy.
Cartographer
Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales or Jean-Baptiste Isoard de Lisle (1741–1816) was a French philosopher, historian, and accused heretic active in the late 18th century. Sales is best known for his publication of the multi-volume opus The Philosophy of Nature: Treatise on Human Moral Nature. The work, among other ideas, challenged the Biblical theory that the earth was created in 4004 BC. Instead, Sales put forth the theory based upon astronomical observations, that the earth was 140,000 years old. Sales' revolutionary ideas caused him to be declared a heretic by the Catholic Church. His publications were subsequently censored and, for the most part, destroyed. As a consequence all of his works are today extremely rare. Sales was also, notably, a close friend of Voltaire who in 1777 visited him in prison, gifting him 500 pounds towards his release. Delisle de Sales is unrelated to the more famous De L'Isle family of cartographers. More by this mapmaker...
Source
Delisle de Sales, Histoire des Hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Moderne, (Paris) 1770.
Condition
Very good. Minor wear along original fold lines. Original platemark visible. Blank on verso.