1659 Du Val Map of the Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela

Of the utmost importance and rarity, this is the only map to illustrate the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela (Chemin St. Jacques / Way of St. James) to appear during its period of greatest significance. This map was issued in 1659 by Piere Du Val and N. Langlois. It follows closely on the November 7, 1659 signing Treaty of the Pyrenees, which sealed a peace between France and Spain, ending the Franco-Spanish War (1635 - 1659) and opening the pilgrimage routes to French devotees for the first time in nearly 30 years.

A Closer Look

The map offers three maps on a single sheet - all closely related to the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

• The first and largest illustrates routes from Madrid (Camino de Madrid) and Navarre to Compostela (Camino Francés).
• The second, along the bottom, details the vicinity of Bordeaux, France - a major launching point for French pilgrims en route to the Camino Vasco.
• The third, in the upper left, follows the post routes from Paris, France, through Bordeaux, to the St. Jean de Luz / Irun border with Spain - the origin point of the Camino Vasco.

The two route maps, at top, detail stopping points along the pilgrimage trails, show rivers, and offer a hit to the topography involved. It is of note, that both of these charts are oriented to the south, a deliberate decision, according to the author, to make the map more practical for the traveler,

The Rules of Geography require the North to be in the highest part of the Maps, but in this the Author has preferred the convenience of Travelers: we look at going to Spain. Being in Burgos, those who make the trip from Madrid will go right to the Midy [south]: And those who wish to go to S. Iacques will take a right, towards the West: and from the 9th place of S. Iacques they can go to Madrid by going towards the Levant d'Hyuer.

Les Regles de l Geographie requierent que le Septentrion soit dans la plus haute partie des Cartes, Mais en celle-ci l'Auteur a prefere la commodite des Voiageurs: Et pour cet effect il a mis le Midi en haut coc la Region du Monde que l'on regarde allant en Espagne. Estant a Burgos ceux qui feront le voyage de Madrid iront droituers le Midy: Et ceus qui desireront aller a S. Iacques prendront a droit, vers la Couchant : et du 9 lieu de S. Iacques ils pourront aller a Madrid en allant vers le Levant d'Hyuer.

The Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela

The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Chemin St. Jacques in French and the Way of Saint James in English, is a late mediaeval pilgrimage route running from various points around Europe to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, believed to be the resting place of the relics of St. James the Elder, the first martyred apostle. It is considered one of the three great Catholic pilgrimages, following Jerusalem and Rome. Like these other pilgrimage destinations, Compostela, located in the northwesternmost part of Spain, lay far from Europe's most populous Christian lands, and the route to get there was both long and arduous. Pilgrims typically traveled by foot, wearing distinctive garb to mark themselves: cape, wide brimmed hat, and a scallop shell. They relied heavily on the charity of strangers as well as refuges established by the church to assist them. The route to Compostela reached its height in the 15th century, when Ottoman conquests closed the Holy Land to most Europeans. Over the subsequent centuries, the Compostela pilgrimage waxed and waned in popularity as the constant inter-European wars opened and closed borders. Although largely forgotten in the early 20th century, the routes to Compostela are again crowded with pilgrims and form, in aggregate, Europe's most popular long-distance trek.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Pierre du Val and published by N. Langlois in 1659. We are aware of a variant edition bearing the imprint of Jaques Langlet, published in the same year. Gaspard Bailleul published a third edition around 1700. Exceedingly rare, we are aware of only two other known examples: Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) and the Bibliotheksverbund Bayern. No history on the private market.