Leo Belgicus: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Leo belgicus.png|thumb|right|Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1609.]] |
[[Image:Leo belgicus.png|thumb|right|Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1609.]] |
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The '''Leo Belgicus''' |
The '''Leo Belgicus''' is a map of the [[Low Countries]] (the [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]]) drawn in the shape of a lion. |
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The earliest Leo Belgicus was drawn by the [[Austria]]n [[cartographer]] [[Michael Aitzinger]] in 1583, when the Netherlands were fighting the [[Eighty Years' War]] for independence. The motif was inspired by the heraldic figure of the lion, occurring in the coats of arms of several of the |
The earliest Leo Belgicus was drawn by the [[Austria]]n [[cartographer]] [[Michael Aitzinger]] in 1583, when the Netherlands were fighting the [[Eighty Years' War]] for independence. The motif was inspired by the heraldic figure of the lion, occurring in the coats of arms of several of the provinces of the Low Countries, as well as in those of [[William the Silent|William of Orange]]. |
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Aitzinger's map was the first of many. There were three different designs. In the most common one, the lion's head located was in the northeast of the country and the tail in the southeast. The most famous version is that of [[Claes Janszoon Visscher]], which was published in [[1609]] on the occasion of the [[Twelve Years' Truce]]. A less common design reversed the position of the lion, as shown in the ''Leo Belgicus'' by [[Jodocus Hondius]]. |
Aitzinger's map was the first of many. There were three different designs. In the most common one, the lion's head located was in the northeast of the country and the tail in the southeast. The most famous version is that of [[Claes Janszoon Visscher]], which was published in [[1609]] on the occasion of the [[Twelve Years' Truce]]. A less common design reversed the position of the lion, as shown in the ''Leo Belgicus'' by [[Jodocus Hondius]]. |
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[[Image:Leo Hollandicus - Visscher.jpg|thumb|left|''Leo Hollandicus'', Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1648]] |
[[Image:Leo Hollandicus - Visscher.jpg|thumb|left|''Leo Hollandicus'', Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1648]] |
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⚫ | The term ''Leo Belgicus'' can not be accurately translated with modern adjectives such as "Belgian" or "Dutch" since they refer to modern [[states]] which did not exist in early-modern times. The name [[Belgium]] now refers to a nation-state, roughly corresponding to the former [[Austrian Netherlands]]. Before the division of the [[Low Countries]] into a southern and a northern half in the 16th century, the name referred to the whole Low Countries, and was the usual Latin translation of ''de Nederlanden'' (which name then covered the current territory of both the Netherlands and Belgium). After the [[Dutch Revolt]], Belgica and Belgium were used for a time for either the northern or southern Netherlands, or both. For example, several contemporary maps of the [[Dutch Republic]], the northern Netherlands, show the Latin title ''Belgium Foederatum''.<ref>For example, the map "Belgium Foederatum" by [[Matthaeus Seutter]], from 1745, which show the current Netherlands. [http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu:9001/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=Europe&item=France%20and%20Low%20Countries/Europe1745c.sid&wid=500&hei=400&props=item(Name,Description),cat(Name,Description)&style=simple/view.xsl&plugin.xsl]</ref> |
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== Note on the name "Leo Belgicus" == |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://dutchrevolt.leidenuniv.nl/Nederlands/symbolen/leo%20belgicus%20ubl.htm Several versions of the map, Leiden University] |
* [http://dutchrevolt.leidenuniv.nl/Nederlands/symbolen/leo%20belgicus%20ubl.htm Several versions of the map, Leiden University] |
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{{Netherlands-hist-stub}} |
{{Netherlands-hist-stub}} |
Revision as of 11:31, 21 March 2007
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Leo_belgicus.png/220px-Leo_belgicus.png)
The Leo Belgicus is a map of the Low Countries (the Netherlands and Belgium) drawn in the shape of a lion.
The earliest Leo Belgicus was drawn by the Austrian cartographer Michael Aitzinger in 1583, when the Netherlands were fighting the Eighty Years' War for independence. The motif was inspired by the heraldic figure of the lion, occurring in the coats of arms of several of the provinces of the Low Countries, as well as in those of William of Orange.
Aitzinger's map was the first of many. There were three different designs. In the most common one, the lion's head located was in the northeast of the country and the tail in the southeast. The most famous version is that of Claes Janszoon Visscher, which was published in 1609 on the occasion of the Twelve Years' Truce. A less common design reversed the position of the lion, as shown in the Leo Belgicus by Jodocus Hondius.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Leo_Belgicus.jpg/220px-Leo_Belgicus.jpg)
The third version was published in the later stages of the war, and after the independence of the Dutch Republic was confirmed in the Peace of Westphalia (1648). It is called the Leo Hollandicus, the Holland Lion, and shows only the province of Holland. One of the earliest versions was published by Visscher around 1625.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Leo_Hollandicus_-_Visscher.jpg/220px-Leo_Hollandicus_-_Visscher.jpg)
The term Leo Belgicus can not be accurately translated with modern adjectives such as "Belgian" or "Dutch" since they refer to modern states which did not exist in early-modern times. The name Belgium now refers to a nation-state, roughly corresponding to the former Austrian Netherlands. Before the division of the Low Countries into a southern and a northern half in the 16th century, the name referred to the whole Low Countries, and was the usual Latin translation of de Nederlanden (which name then covered the current territory of both the Netherlands and Belgium). After the Dutch Revolt, Belgica and Belgium were used for a time for either the northern or southern Netherlands, or both. For example, several contemporary maps of the Dutch Republic, the northern Netherlands, show the Latin title Belgium Foederatum.[1]
References
- ^ For example, the map "Belgium Foederatum" by Matthaeus Seutter, from 1745, which show the current Netherlands. [1]