1710 Homann Map of the Kingdom of Prussia

This is first edition Johann Baptist Homann's c. 1710 map of the Kingdom of Prussia, produced to commemorate the day (January 18, 1701) on which Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg crowned himself King Friedrich I in Prussia in Königsberg. The map displays the borders of the Kingdom of Prussia at its inception and presents a portrait of the new king framed by an ornate allegorical cartouche.

A Closer Look

The map reaches from the Baltic Sea to as far south as Toruń (Thorn) on the Vistula River and spans from the Duchy of Pomerania in the west to part of the Duchy of Samogitia in the east (today's Lithuania). The region here marked Prussiae Regnum constituted Eastern Prussia; this includes what is now the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and the northeastern portions of Poland ('Prussia Polonica'). These are divided on the map into the regions Circulus Hockerlandiae, Circulus Natangiensis, and Circul Sambiensis. The map also includes the Pomeranian Voivodeship and the regions of Mirachowo, Puck, Człuchów, Świecie, Tuchola, Żukowo, Chełmno Voivodeship, Michałowo, and the Malbork Voivodeship.

A Baroque Allegorical Cartouche

The Baltic Sea is filled with an elaborate cartouche teeming with imagery. It is centered on a portrait of Frederick III, the Electorate of Brandenburg and King in Prussia; his motto 'Suum Cuique' appears at his head. To the left, a quartet of putti support the arms of the Kingdom of Prussia; at the right, with its attendant cudgel-bearing, helmeted putti are the arms of the Prince-Elector of Brandenberg. To the right of Frederick's portrait is a map representing the Electorate of Brandenberg in Germany, which remained his domain and would be the western part of the new Kingdom of Prussia. The new king is here attended on the left by Minerva (goddess of wisdom-in-war); Hermes (messenger of the gods and patron of commerce) hovers to the right. Above Frederick, a crown is suspended jointly between the allegories of Fame and Modesty.

The Emergence of Prussian Power

Given the kingdom's subsequent importance and even centrality to German history, the historical origins of Prussia are surprisingly modest. The territory began as a relatively poor and unimportant duchy in vassalage to the Polish crown in the 16th century. It began to take shape under the leadership of the Hohenzollern family, Electors of Brandenberg, who inherited the duchy in 1618 and gained its sovereignty in the Second Northern War (1665 - 1660). Prussia's status as a rising power was confirmed in the early 18th century when it was allowed to elevate itself to a kingdom and Frederick to become 'King in Prussia' (not 'King of Prussia'). This specific terminology was a loophole, circumventing the restriction on kingdoms within the Holy Roman Empire, created by Emperor Leopold I (r. 1658 - 1705) to secure Prussia's support in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1715). Although Prussia was outside of the Holy Roman Empire, Brandenburg was within it; thus, the Hohenzollern rulers operated with two separate titles until the end of the Holy Roman Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.

More tangibly, Prussia's neighborhood was transformed by the Great Northern War (1700 - 1721), which saw Swedish power in northeastern Europe recede and Russia's increase. Joining the war in its latter years, Prussia gained territory and developed a strong emphasis on administrative and military modernization, led by Crown Prince and then King Frederick William I (r. 1713 - 1740). His son, Frederick II ('Frederick the Great,' r. 1740 - 1786), was the embodiment of a philosopher-king, a brilliant military strategist, and an ally of the Enlightenment. By the end of his reign, Prussia had significantly expanded its territory and was one of the leading powers in Europe.

Publication History and Census

This map's printing history is convoluted. We have identified this map in no fewer than six separate plates engraved during the 18th century, either by Homann or his heirs. The present example is from the first of these, engraved as early as 1707 and appearing in Homann atlases dated 1710 and 1716. The differences between this first plate and the second (also sold by us as Prussia-homann-1730) are less pronounced than those with later plates but still noticeable, particularly in Frederick's portrait, the faces of the gods and putti in the cartouche, and in other small differences, such as three small circles at the cardinal direction east in the compass rose below the title here. The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection holds a highly similar example from a c. 1716 composite atlas, though there are slight differences with the present map, which can be seen in minor details, such as the coats of arms in the cartouche. In any event, the present example lacks Homann's privilege, which was added to later printings, indicating a date before 1715. The map appears to be well-represented in institutional collections in its various iterations, but it is difficult to determine the distribution of specific versions from catalog listings. It appears on the market from time to time but less often in this earliest state.