1718 Matthias Seutter map of the Kingdom of Serbia (First State)

This is a beautiful, first state example of Matthias Seutter's 1718 map of Serbia, Timisoara, and parts of modern-day Croatia, Bosnia, and Bulgaria, showing these lands after they passed to the Austrian Empire from the Ottoman Turks following the July 22, 1718, Treaty of Passarowitz.

A Closer Look

The map covers the juncture of the Danube, Tisza, and Sava Rivers. Centered on Belgrade, coverage spans from Karlova in modern-day Croatia in the northwest, to Sofia, Bulgaria in the southeast. The Olt River in Romania forms the eastern limit and part of Hungary appears at the north limit. Mountains, forests, and wetlands are depicted pictorially. The map delineates roads, fortifications, cities, villages, and monasteries. In addition to contemporary features, Seutter includes the ruins of Trajan's Road along the Olt River. The most prominent feature, set apart with a deep yellow wash color, is the region of Timisoara and northern Serbia which the Ottoman Empire surrendered under the 1718 treaty of Passarowitz.

The Peace of Passarowitz

Between 1714 and 1718, the Ottoman Empire won victories against Venice, but during the Austro-Turkish War of 1716-1718, the Austrian Field Marshal Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated them at the battle of Petrovaradin and Siege of Belgrade. As a result, a treaty was signed at Passarowitz (now part of Serbia.) As is implied in this map's ebullient cartouche, the treaty was viewed as an extraordinary success. The treaty established Habsburg control of the Banat of Temeswar, western Wallachia, northern Serbia (including Belgrade), and the northern part of Bosnia. In addition, the treaty permitted Habsburg merchants access to Ottoman territory, and removed restrictions placed by the Turks on Catholic priests in their domains. The treaty was less favorable to Venice, who lost Morea, Crete, the islands of Aegina and Tinos, and several inland cities.

The treaty gave Austria the area of present-day Serbia, and allowed them to establish the Kingdom of Serbia as a crown land. Austrian control only lasted 21 years, until the Turkish victories of the Austro-Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739 and the 1739 Treaty of Belgrade.

The Cartouche

The lower left corner is embellished with a superb cartouche, celebrating the Austrian victory. The title is not subtle:

A just cause gloriously championed by heroic valor. The Prize of Triumph, or an Exact Delineation of the Provinces and Cities Restored to the Just Lord and Victor by the Two Famous Campaigns, and by the Peace of Passarowitz. Anno 1718 July 21, from the defeated Turks.

The cartouche is flanked by the seated figures of Victory and Justice personified. It is surmounted with the portrait of the illustrious Prince Eugene of Savoy, the most famous military commander of his day, whose victories at Petrovaradin in 1716 and the Siege of Belgrade in 1717 forced the Ottoman Empire to the table. Kneeling Turkish supplicants present offerings to the portrait of the Prince, which bears the motto 'Victrici Lauro mitis succedit Oliva' [The gentle olive succeeds the victorious laurel]. To the right of the cartouche is a remarkable conciliatory note, apropos to the gentle olive: a man in European garb, with a resplendent wig, embraces a turbaned man with an Ottoman robe, emphasizing hopes for peace.

Publication History and Census

This map was engraved as early as late 1718, but no later than 1720 for inclusion in Seutter's Atlas geographicus. We have identified two states: this one, and another in which Seutter's title 'Chalcogr.' has been replaced with the initials of his latter title as Imperial Geographer. This second state appears as early as 1730. The map is scarce, with only separate examples listed in OCLC by the British Library, the Bibliothèque National de France, and Yale's Beinecke Library, but does still appear on the market from time to time.