1831 Dower / Teesdale Map of Prussia, Northern Germany

This is a fine example of Henry Teesdale and John Dower's 1831 map of Prussia published in their A New General Atlas of the World. It depicts the Kingdom of Prussia as it emerged from the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna, larger and more powerful than before, poised to challenge Austria for preeminence in the German lands.

A Closer Look

This map covers much of the northern part of the German lands, from Aix-la-Chapelle (that is, Aachen) to Konigsberg (Kaliningrad), hinting at the future scope and ambitions of the Prussian state. Roads, rivers, cities, towns, and elevations are indicated. Scales are given in both British and Prussian miles, while colors are used to greatly simplify and distinguish the constituent states (duchies, principalities) of Prussia. Both exclaves and enclaves are present, a remnant of the maddeningly complex territorial divisions of the Holy Roman Empire that persisted into the 19th century.

Prussia's Rise and the Unification of Germany

Beginning in the late 17th century, Prussia was transformed from a disparate confederation of feudal lords into an absolute monarchy with one of Europe's most powerful militaries, initially far out of proportion to the territory's size and wealth. A string of effective rulers in the 18th century allowed Prussia to not only survive the constant wars of the era (the dates and locations of battles are indicated here) but to establish itself as an enlightened haven for the arts, science, and philosophy. Prussia struggled to navigate the shifting alliances of the Napoleonic Wars but emerged from the conflict as a victorious power (Prussian troops played a decisive role at the Battle of Waterloo).

The Congress of Vienna replaced the Holy Roman Empire with the German Confederation, with Prussia and Austria as the two major powers in the confederation. Prussia was substantially enlarged by the territorial divisions at the Congress of Vienna, and dominated northern Germany politically, economically, and in population. Liberals looked to Berlin as a beacon of enlightened government and forward-thinking reforms, in contrast to the more rigid monarchies of Austria and other states. Prussia also expanded its influence through the Zollverein, a customs union among German states that did not include Austria. In the 1840s - 1870s, Prussia engaged in war several times, taking Schleswig (here as Sleswick) and Holstein before conquering or absorbing territories to the south in wars with Austria and France, resulting in the formal creation of a unified, Prussian-led German Empire in 1871.

Publication History and Census

This map was engraved by John Dower for the 1831 edition of A New General Atlas of the World, published by Henry Teesdale. This appears to be an especially rare example of this map, as other Dower maps dated to or near 1831 are titled 'Prussia, with part of Poland' (editions from soon afterwards also include an inset map of Berlin at top-left). The cataloged map most closely resembling the present example is the 1832 edition of Dower's Prussia map, published in W.M. Higgins' A General Descriptive Atlas of The Earth, which is part of the David Rumsey Map Collection (List No. 0247.048). The present edition is not known to be held by any institution and has no known history on the market.