Países Bajos - Güeldres / Mapa de la Fosa Eugeniana; Willem Janszoon Blaeu - Fossa quae a Rheno ad Mosam duci coepta ets Anno MDCXXVI - 1621-1650

"Fossa quae a Rheno ad Mosam duci coepta ets Anno MDCXXVI". The Blaeus: Willem Janszoon, Cornelis & Joan

Copper engraved map of the Fossa Eugeniana, a never completed canal from the Rhine near Rheinberg to the Meuse near Venlo from Blaeu's "Théâtre du Monde ou Nouvel Atlas”. Double page; folio.

The map first appeared in Blaeu's Appendix in 1630. The map final state of the map is revised with a large cartouche around the scale of miles (Keuning, Imago Mundi XIV, pp 74-89). 

The Fossa Eugeniana, an ambitious canal project, conceived in 1626 under the auspices of the Spanish Netherlands, then governed by the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Spain, a key figure in the Habsburg monarchy. The primary impetus for this project was the strategic necessity imposed by the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648), specifically the need to create a navigable link between the Rhine and Meuse rivers.

The historical backdrop of the Fossa Eugeniana is deeply interwoven with the broader context of the European wars of religion, especially the conflict between the Habsburgs and the Dutch Republic. In the early 17th century, the Spanish Netherlands found itself in a protracted struggle against the burgeoning independence movement of the Dutch. The blockade of the River Scheldt by Dutch forces significantly hampered Spanish control over vital trade and military routes. In response, the construction of the canal was envisioned as a strategic bypass, facilitating the movement of troops and resources, thereby circumventing Dutch-controlled territories.

Initiated in 1626, the construction of the Fossa Eugeniana was a remarkable engineering feat for its time. The route was planned to extend from Rheinberg on the Rhine to Venlo on the Meuse, covering a distance of approximately 50 kilometers.  Despite the considerable efforts, the Fossa Eugeniana remained incomplete. By 1629, the project was abandoned and never completed. 

Willem Jansz. (also written Guilielmus Janssonius) = Willem Janszoon Blaeu, was born in Uitgeest (Netherlands), near Alkmaar in 1571. He studied mathematics under Tycho Brahe and learned the theory and practice of astronomical observations and the art of instrument- and globe making. Willem Janszoon Blaeu died in 1638, leaving his prospering business to his sons, Cornelis and Joan. Of Cornelis we only know that his name occurs in the prefaces of books and atlases until c. 1645.

Dimensions
55 cm x 46 cm

Artist or Maker
Willem Janszoon Blaeu

Medium
Copperplate engraving

Date
1635

Condition Report
This work is in good condition overall, there may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.

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The Certificate of Authenticity is included.