Striking, historically important Dutch map of the Caribbean

Description

As per its Latin title, this beautiful map focuses on the Caribbean, also taking in neighbouring islands and covering the Spanish Main – stretching from Florida through present-day Mexico and Central America to northwestern South America. It was published by Reiner and Joshua Ottens around 1740 and is based on a Cornelis Danckerts II’s map of the same title, from 1696.

Both versions of the map carry an identical second title, in Dutch, just above the top neatline, reading “Seat of war in America in which all its principal islands were shown …”. At the time of Danckerts’ first issue of the map, this referred to the King William's War.

The King William’s War (1689–1697) was the North American theatre of the larger Nine Years’ War (1688–1697), a major conflict between France and England (later Britain) and their respective allies. It was the first of several colonial wars between these powers in North America.

In the Nine Years’ War, Louis XIV of France sought to expand French influence in Europe, prompting a coalition of European states, including England, to resist. In North America, English and French colonists, along with their Native American allies, engaged in a series of raids and frontier skirmishes, especially in New England, Acadia, and New France. The two connected wars ended with the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697, which largely restored pre-war boundaries across the two continents but failed to resolve underlying territorial disputes, leaving tensions high.

When the Ottens brothers reissued the map, ironically, it reflected again a seat of war – this time that of the War of Jenkins’ Ear.

The War of Jenkins’ Ear (1739–1748) was a conflict between Britain and Spain, primarily fought in the Caribbean and the southeastern parts of British North America. It was sparked by commercial rivalry and maritime tensions, especially over British trade rights in Spanish America.

The war began after British captain Robert Jenkins had his ear cut off by Spanish coast guards during a forced inspection of his ship intended to curb illegal trade – an event that symbolised ongoing Anglo-Spanish disputes. The conflict was driven by British ambitions to expand trade in the Americas and Spanish efforts to limit British smuggling and influence. Fighting occurred in the Caribbean and in Georgia and Florida. In 1742, the war merged into the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), a larger European conflict over succession to the Habsburg throne after the death of Emperor Charles VI. That broader war pitted major European powers against each other, including Britain and Austria versus France and Spain. It concluded with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, which again restored the status quo but failed to settle colonial and commercial rivalries.

Both King William’s War and the War of Jenkins’ Ear were colonial extensions of larger European conflicts, demonstrating how imperial rivalries in Europe directly influenced warfare in the Americas. Each war featured British and French or Spanish competition for dominance over trade routes and territory in the New World. Though not directly connected, the earlier wars set patterns of colonial conflict that continued in the later wars, ultimately culminating in the Seven Years' War.

In terms of cartography, the map is exceptionally rich in detail. It includes the following notable features:

• Relief and vegetation are depicted pictorially, including an abundance of imaginary mountains across the Florida peninsula.
• Countless capes, bays, shoals, rivers, lakes, settlements, and political divisions are shown and named, where applicable.
• Symbols are used to depict cliffs (crosses), anchorages (anchor), Native American settlements (stylised tent), towns (small circle), cities (stylised building), bishoprics (simple Christian cross), and archbishoprics (double Christian cross).
• Numerous Native North American peoples are named throughout, including Alabama/Alibamu (Alibamous), Capinan (Capinas), Houma (Ouma), Natchez (Nadchez), Timucua (Timogoa), Tunica-Biloxi (Tonica), and Yatasi (Yataches), to name but a few.
• Spanish shipping routes are plotted, including inbound to Cartagena, and outbound from Cartagena as well as Veracruz, via Havanna, to Spain.

The map title is displayed in a drape-style cartouche at top right, held up by two putti.

Three basic compass roses are included throughout the seas.

A legend is provided at top left, above the neatline, with three milage scales shown at top right.

A wonderful example of a map bridging time.

Condition

Very good.

Issued folding. Coloured throughout, including cartouche and embellishments. Light spots and stains, mostly in the seas. Two small tears in bottom margin, closed on verso with archival tape.

Item #: 02715

US $1,200.00

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