Contrafactur der Laubtstad Ofer in Urgern, Wie die von den Christe Belegert Gewest

Siege-view by Hieronymus Ortelius and Johann Sibmacher taken from the Chronologia oder historische Beschreibung aller Kriegsempörungen unnd Belägerungen der Stätt und Vestungen auch Scharmützeln und Schlachten so in Ober und Unter Ungern auch Siebenbürgen mit dem Turcken von Ao. 1395 biss auff gegenwertige Zeit denckhwürtig geschehen. Nuremberg, Christoff Lochner for Johann Sibmacher, 1604.

Important historical work on the military history of the Austro-Hungarian region, including Transylvania, during the years 1395 -1612, describing all the wars, sieges of cities and fortresses, battles with the Turks and other noteworthy events in Hungary, written and assiduously recorded by Hieronymus Ortelius or Oertel (1543-1614).

"A description of all the battles which took place in Hungary and Transylvania during the wars with the Turks from 1390 to 1602" (Atabey), especially valuable for its views of Hungarian towns under siege or battle and the portraits of military commanders.

The author, a notary at the imperial court, was encouraged to write the work by his brother-in-law, Johann Sibmacher, a Nuremberg engraver and publisher, who was also responsible for the engraved plates: "a historian who defended the rights of Protestants threatened by the emperor Rudolph II, took refuge in Nuremberg where he published this history of Hungary" (Atabey).

Nothing like this was ever printed before. Especially the period 1592-1612 is treated in great detail since the author included eyewitness reports on the Turkish invasions in the region.

The 30 double-page plates show the sieges and the fortifications of the following cities: Vienna, Zolnoch, Tocaky, Guyla, Zigeth, Sysegk, Palotta, Villeck, Raab, Comorra, Gran, Vizzegrad, Tergovist, Temeswar, Hatwan, Petrina, Tottis, Papa, Waitzen, Budapest, Tolna, Stulweisenburg and Canisha. The cities were either besieged by the Turkss or the Turkish cities by the Christians.

Copperplate, printed on contemporary laid paper, irregularely trimmed at the borderline, uniform oxidation and some spot, otherwise good condition. Rare.

Bibliografia

Leonora Navari The Ottoman world. The Sefik E. Atabey Collection. Books, manuscripts and maps., n. 882.