Holland – Willem Blaeu, 1631

THE COUNTY OF HOLLAND

“Hollandia Comitatus”, copper engraving by Josua van den Ende, published by Willem Blaeu in 1631. With original hand colouring. Size: 39 x 47,5 cm.

This map was originally engraved in 1608, complete with decorative borders designed by Claes Jansz. Visscher. To incorporate it into his Appendix atlas, Blaeu later removed the borders on three sides. The map image still derives from Jacob van Deventer’s 1542 survey, as no full resurvey of Holland had taken place, though Blaeu added many updates, e.g. to waterways, bridges, and dams.

Blaeu drew on a range of cartographic sources. The northern part of Holland rests on Joost Jansz. Beeldsnijder’s 1575 map, while the area south of the Oude Rijn toward Gouda incorporates material from Cornelis Anthonisz. Hornhovius’s 1599 map of Utrecht, also known through Pieter van den Keere’s copy in his Germania Inferior.

The verso text offers lively observations on Holland around 1631: the strong, spirited horses of West Friesland; large-scale duck hunting using tame decoy animals; abundant freshwater and sea fish; and the use of peat as fuel in the absence of timber. Appropriately, the title cartouche is flanked by sea gods holding a line of fish, symbolizing maritime wealth.

According to the archives of the Chambers of Accounts, the County of Holland was divided into four parts: North Holland, South Holland, Voorne, and Kennemerland/West Friesland. Each region included its own towns, water boards, and dike districts. Major centres included Delft, Leiden, Gouda, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Haarlem, Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Hoorn, Enkhuizen, and others.

The text further outlines Holland’s distinctive constitutional tradition. Although ruled by counts from the early Middle Ages, these lords were not vassals of neighbouring princes or of the Holy Roman Emperor, and imperial authority did not extend over Holland. The counts’ powers were firmly limited by the States of Holland, who controlled taxation, appointments, warfare, coinage, and the preservation of ancient rights. Every count swore to uphold these laws before being recognised.

Burgundian and Habsburg rulers later challenged this balance, culminating in Philip II’s infringements that triggered the Dutch Revolt. In 1581 the States declared Philip deposed and assumed direct governance, appointing William of Orange—and later Maurice and Frederick Henry—as stadtholders. Thereafter the States ruled Holland through a combination of full assemblies and a permanent college of deputies in The Hague.

Literature: 

• Blonk & Van der Wijlst (2000) “Hollandia Comitatus, een kartobibliografie van Holland”, map no. 33,2.
• Günther Schilder & Klaus Stopp (2000) “Monumenta Cartographica Neerlandica VI, Dutch folio-sized single sheet maps with decorative borders, 1604-60.”, map no. 70.2.

Price: SOLD