Carte de la Maison du Roy, des Etats, des Conseils et du Gouvernement Civil, Eclesiastique, et Militaire de Suede

Map of the House of the King, the States, the Councils and the Civil, Ecclesiastical, and Military Government of Sweden – Approximate Title Translation

A political overview of Sweden featuring a beautiful view of Stockholm (center), the Royal Fortress at Jakobstad (right), and the Palace of the King (left). The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.