Map of Paraiba and Rio Grande

Map of Paraiba and Rio Grande.

Praefecturae de Paraiba, et Rio Grande.

Between 1630 and 1654 a large part of Brazil was occupied by the Dutch. During this period the area was mapped by the cartographers Cornelis Goliath (died in 1667/68) and Georg Marcgraf. In 1643 they transcribed the results of their mapping activities onto a fine wall chart. Joan Blaeu (1598-1673) published this atlas map based on their chart in 1662.

The chart was published previously in: C. Barlaeus, 'Rerum per octennium in Brasilia', Amsterdam 1647.

The chart shows the coats of arms of the governorships of Para??ba en Rio Grande. Above the map itself is an image of a village with a church and Brazilian Indians at work for the Dutch. In the top left hand corner is a part of the drawing of the sugar mill, of which the major part is to be seen on the chart of Pernambuco and Itamarica, see: Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, inv. nr. 1049B13_095.

The sea battle depicted shows the course of a battle between the Dutch and Spaniards that took place in January 1640. The days in question were the 13th, 14th and 17th of January.

The first day of the sea battle is depicted on the same chart as the remainder of the sugar mill.

This chart may be linked to: Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, inv. nr. 1049B13094; Ibid, inv. nr. 1049B13095; Ibid, inv. nr. 1049B13_096.

Cf. Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, inv. nr. 1043 B 14, after p. 68.