Flandria Illustrata
Encyclopedia
Flandria Illustrata is a historiographical and cartographic work from 1641 by the Flemish canon Anton Sander
(Sanderus). It contains descriptions of the main towns and villages of the former county of Flanders, in addition to a description of its digging and bishops. Often a map or drawing of a city or village is added. The work had several editions in 1735 and was also published in Dutch under the title Verheerlykt Vlaandre.
From 1632 Sanderus began with the first studies for his work. In 1634 he signed a contract with Hondius. It identified four areas. After some time came, however, tensions arose between Sanderus and Henricus Hondius: the latter had begun his work with the data he already received, but had to constantly stop because a number of articles and drawings were always omitted. Hondius himself remained not free from blame: he sent back several drawings and cards for no good reason to improve again, while the corrections Sanderus suggested were not always performed. Hondius was so thoroughly tired of the situation in 1641 that he published Flandria Illustrata without acknowledge Sanderus that his nephew Johannes sold to its competitor, the brothers Blaeu
.
Meanwhile the publication already advanced fairly well. Although the original proposed date was Easter 1637, the publication was completed on the first of April 1641.
Anton Sander
Anton Sander was a Flemish Catholic cleric and historian.-Biography:Having become master of philosophy at the University of Douai in 1609, he studied theology for some years under Malderus at the Catholic University of Leuven, and Willem Hessels van Est at Douai, and was ordained priest at...
(Sanderus). It contains descriptions of the main towns and villages of the former county of Flanders, in addition to a description of its digging and bishops. Often a map or drawing of a city or village is added. The work had several editions in 1735 and was also published in Dutch under the title Verheerlykt Vlaandre.
Sanderus' predecessors
Himself tells us in his Sanderus Apologidion as the biggest inspiration for his Flandria Illustrata the work Theatrum sive Hollandiae Comitatus et urbium nova descriptio Marcus Zuerius Boxhornius (Boxhorn Nl), which in 1632 was published by the Amsterdam publisher and engraver Henricus Hondius. This led Sanderus to join the revival of the history and cartography that was going on since the 16th century. It was not just Sanderus' goal to complete his predecessors but even exceed, both in terms of completeness and quality.Publication
The writing and publishing of Flandria Illustrata didn't run without a hitch. After the plan was conceived, Sanderus contacted the North Dutch publisher Henricus Hondius, who also published the work of Boxhorn. All this ran through his contacts with a middleman, Johannes D'Hondt, a nephew of Henry and a knowledge also of the family Sanderus. There was one major problem: Henricus Hondius, as a North Dutchman, was a Protestant. The Catholic Church had a habit of publishing books in a Protestant country, especially those with any religious slant, without the index to places. This would not only mean that the book would be almost unobtainable in Flanders, but would Sanderus note a canon, in a bad light places. The Dutch publishers had already found solution to this problem: the book was printed by a Dutch printing company, but under the name of a Catholic publisher from Cologne.From 1632 Sanderus began with the first studies for his work. In 1634 he signed a contract with Hondius. It identified four areas. After some time came, however, tensions arose between Sanderus and Henricus Hondius: the latter had begun his work with the data he already received, but had to constantly stop because a number of articles and drawings were always omitted. Hondius himself remained not free from blame: he sent back several drawings and cards for no good reason to improve again, while the corrections Sanderus suggested were not always performed. Hondius was so thoroughly tired of the situation in 1641 that he published Flandria Illustrata without acknowledge Sanderus that his nephew Johannes sold to its competitor, the brothers Blaeu
Joan Blaeu
Joan Blaeu was a Dutch cartographer.He was born in Alkmaar, the son of cartographer Willem Blaeu.In 1620 he became a doctor of law but he joined the work of his father. In 1635 they published the Atlas Novus in two volumes...
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Meanwhile the publication already advanced fairly well. Although the original proposed date was Easter 1637, the publication was completed on the first of April 1641.