1579 HOGENBERG, Franz
This is an atlas of maps of Europe with a title page but no publisher´s details. There are various copies extant with varying numbers of individual maps including a map of England with Wales and of Scotland. For example, Francis Bennett reported a copy with 37 maps[1]; the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek copy (illustrated) has 87[2]; and one copy on sale via AbeBooks (2023) had 267 pages and 126 maps and plans. At one point the artist was thought to be either Jean Matal Metellus (ca. 1520-1597) or Michael v. Eitzing (Aitzing, Eyzinger) and Franz Hogenberg the engraver, but this has not been proven. The Austrian National Library attributes the work to Franz Hogenberg.
The title points to it being a road book: The Roads of the Kingdom of Christ in three languages, Latin, German and French, however, most of the maps included show no roads. Unusually, three roads are shown in England. The map shows roads leading out of London: one road to Kings Lynn splitting to also go to Yarmouth; to Dover via Canterbury; and westwards to Basingstoke and Salisbury.
ltinerarium Orbis Christiani; Itinerario di tutti I Paesi Christiani, Wegweiser des gantzeb Christenthumbs. La Guide des chemins de tous les Pais de la Chrestiente. 1579. (Vienna, BStB)[3]
Salisbury, King´s Lynn and Canterbury were clearly popular pilgrim routes, but the route curving to Yarmouth is unusual. Most road books had a road described to Walsingham: this had been a very important site of pilgrimage since the early 1200s. King Henry III made his first of many pilgrimages to Walsingham around 1226. He was a great supporter of The Virgin Mary and the Holy House at Walsingham became one of the centres of his devotion.
By the 14th and 15th centuries Walsingham and Canterbury were the two premier places of pilgrimage in England, with Walsingham slightly the more important of the two, as this was a shrine to Our Lady whereas Canterbury was a shrine to St. Thomas Becket. One site could have been that of Burgh Castle, where the Irish missionary St. Fursey chose this spot for his monastery in the 7th century.
RETURN to Book II Introduction - Almanacks and Itineraries
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