Geographia Patriarchalis Tabula Geographica in Eptiomen Contracta in qua Patriarchatus Antiqui Romanus

Interesting map of Europe, North Africa and Mediterranean showing the areas under authority of several patriarchs.

Originally designed by Nicholas Sanson (who is duly credited in the colorful title cartouche), this map was published by the famed firm of Covens & Mortier in Amsterdam around the year 1700. It shows the area from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Middle East and the Red Sea to the Baltic, displaying topographical details, cities, and regional information. Various colors on the map are generally representative of the areas under the authority of the Christian patriarchs. Rome (light green), Alexandria (yellow) and Antioch (dark green) were original apostolic sees organized in the first century AD. Constantinople (red) and Jerusalem (orange) were added in the 4th and 5th centuries to form the Pentarchy – the governing body of the early Christian church. Infighting, political strain and religious differences between the patriarchs eventually led to the East-West Schism and the break between Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.